3 Signs Your Child Could Benefit from Therapy During Your Divorce

 Posted on September 18,2020 in Children of divorce

During your divorce, everyone in the family is likely feeling the stress and impact of the process, but children often feel it the strongest. It can be shocking and traumatic for kids to feel like everything that they have ever known is changing and falling apart. For many parents, their biggest worry in the divorce is their children and how the divorce process will affect them. While it is true that there is a possibility that your children could be somewhat affected by the divorce, studies show that most children of divorce grow up to be happy, well-adjusted, and balanced adults with relatively few issues during the divorce. However, each child is different and has the possibility of struggling to cope with the reality of the divorce. In some cases, it may even be in everyone’s best interest to hire a child therapist or psychologist to help.

Signs of Emotional Distress in Your Child

For some parents, it can be difficult to gauge when your child is in need of professional help. How moody is too moody? What behavior constitutes moody, anyway? It is normal for your child to experience a wide range of emotions and exhibit a range of behaviors to go with those emotions. However, if you notice emotional responses or behavior from your child that interfere with his or her daily life, it may be time to seek professional help. Examples of these types of behaviors could include:

• Regressive behaviors: Some children whose parents are going through a divorce may begin to exhibit certain behaviors that are no longer age-appropriate, or “regressing” in a sense. For example, a toilet-trained toddler may begin to wet his or her pants again, or another child might refuse to sleep in his or her bed anymore. The reappearance of these behaviors can alarm parents, but they are typically harmless. You may want to consider professional help for your child if he or she exhibits these symptoms for longer than a couple of weeks, however.

• Recurrent trouble at school: School is where your child spends the majority of their day, so their performance and behavior while they are there can be a good indication of how they are coping. If your child is constantly getting in trouble for various things like fighting or skipping class and their academic performance has drastically changed, you should consider professional help.

• Frequent aggressive conduct: Even the most well-behaved children can have trouble controlling themselves when they are experiencing emotional distress. When children do not know what to do with all of the emotions that they are feeling, it can come out in the form of disobedience, angry outbursts, and other forms of insubordination. 

Contact a North Aurora Divorce Attorney Today

Many parents’ biggest fears are the ill effects that the divorce could have on their children. However, it is important to note that it is not the divorce itself that is the culprit of these ill effects, but rather the child’s exposure to the parents’ conflict. At the Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, P.C., we know how important it is to reduce conflict and promote negotiation in a divorce as much as possible. Whether you are in the middle of the divorce process or you are just considering filing, our skilled Kane County divorce lawyer can help you minimize the conflict surrounding your case. To schedule a consultation, call our office today at 630-409-8184.

Sources:

https://www.aamft.org/Consumer_Updates/Children_and_Divorce.aspx

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/parenting-family/children-and-divorce.htm

https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/3-signs-your-child-needs-post-divorce-60207/