With over 1 million children each year living in separated or divorced families, many parents are asking this question. In this country, we tend to move like a pendulum from one extreme to the other. When divorce laws were first liberalized, it was thought that kids would be upset for a short while, but would soon resume life as usual. Recently, the pendulum has swung over to the other side, and parents are told that all children of divorce will be profoundly damaged. The truth, of course, lies somewhere in between.
Divorce is a major life trauma for kids.
However, most kids learn the skills to cope with this new life style. Parents who are able to continue to love and support the children, find that their kids are able to rebound and develop as well as kids in traditional families. The single most important determiner of a child's successful adjustment is the parents' ability to create a nurturing, protective environment with at least one parent. Lucky children will be able to maintain positive relationships with both Mom and Dad. Parents caught in constant battle with each other have reason to fear for their children's future.