Parents often worry a great deal about how their decision to divorce will affect their children. It’s impossible to say with certainty how your children will react to the news that you’re getting divorced, but in general, how children handle divorce will depend on their age. Here’s a look at how children cope with divorce at different ages:

18 Months to 3 Years Old

Young children will not fully understand what is happening when their parents divorce. All they will know is that things have changed, and because kids at this age are self-centered, they may believe they did something to cause the divorce. At this age, kids don’t have the skills that they need to cope with emotional changes, so they may start to regress and suck their thumbs or refuse to go to sleep at night.

3 to 6 Years Old

Children within this age range will feel comfortable asking questions after learning about their parents’ divorce. They will be very curious as to why their parents are divorcing, because they may be too young to have picked up on any tension in the household. Kids at this age may also place the blame on themselves, so it’s important to make it clear that they did not play a role in your divorce.

6 to 11 Years Old

School-aged children tend to hold out hope that their parents will get back together. Once they realize that this isn’t going to happen, they may lash out and show signs of anger. Other children may respond with extreme sadness as opposed to anger. Their struggle to cope with these changes could affect their grades and their behavior at school.

Children at this age may also try to place the blame on one parent that they feel is responsible for the divorce. Because of this, it’s important to maintain a positive relationship with your ex-spouse to ensure he does not feed into this and try to place the blame on you.

11 Years Old and Up

By the time they reach this age, children are able to tell when their parents don’t get along, so they may not be surprised when you tell them about your decision to divorce. They may ask how the divorce will affect their lives, so be prepared to answer these tough questions. As kids become teens, they will start to experience mood swings. These bursts of anger or sadness may become directed at the parent who moves out of the marital home. To prevent this, both parents must show a united front so the child sees that both of his parents will still be a part of his life.

Divorce is never easy, especially when there are children involved. If you have children and are filing for divorce, it’s important to protect their best interests by working with an experienced divorce attorney at Adams Family Law. To schedule a consultation, email [email protected] or call 513-929-9333.