They found that 56 percent of the third-graders whose parents had split up continued to draw family pictures portraying their mom and dad as still together. It didn't depend on the length of time since their parents separated. Children of divorce were more likely than children from intact families to say other divorced couples would not get back together. However, when it came to their own parents, the children still believed a reconciliation was likely. This finding shows denial is common among younger children while older kids have an easier time coping with their parents' break-up, Prevatt said.
People cope in very different ways.
For younger kids, this is showing that it's very normal for them to cope using this type of personal denial. Psychologists usually see this denial as a sign the child is having problems adjusting, but Prevatt said denial among young children of divorce is probably not that unusual. Children will likely develop better coping skills with age and come to terms with reality. The problems young children of divorce experience tend to be very similar, she said. They suffer an initial shock and anger.