Girls will sometimes show internalizing reactions, such as crying, self-criticism, and withdrawal. They are more likely to display demanding, attention getting behavior. Boys may experience more adjustment difficulties than girls. Boy's behavior may be so unruly that the divorced parents may view the child more negatively. Life in a single parent household is often a temporary condition.
Many parents remarry within a few years.
Parent, stepparent, and children now form a new family structure called the blended or reconstituted family. The growth of blended families complicates the dynamics of the family. High divorce and remarriage rates in recent decades have resulted in 20 percent of the children in two parent households living with one natural parent and one stepparent. Slightly over 40 percent of all current marriages in the United States are 2nd and 3rd marriages. Adults who undergo the stress and transition to or from divorce and remarriage may have less time and emotional stamina to deal with the emotional turmoil of the children.