As a divorce lawyer in Singapore, I have witnessed how divorces affect children. Children may be greatly affected if they are close to both parents, but forced to take sides. This is one of the reasons why the Ministry of Social and Family Development started the Children in Between Programme Singapore.
Case study
The case of “Caught In The Middle”, a college student who wrote to www.star2.com illustrates the predicament facing many children in Singapore.
Caught In The Middle is a college student who has a younger brother. Her parents have divorced after 20 years of marriage. She witnessed many arguments at home since the time she was young. When she was growing up, she was always fearful of any major quarrels between her parents in public.
When her mother filed for divorce in 2016, she brought both children with her. With the animosity between her parents, “Caught In The Middle” is worried and concerned about the negative impact that her brother will suffer. Her brother is young and does not fully understand the animosity between their parents.
Her parents are not willing to divorce amicably. They confide in “Caught In The Middle” separately and she feels torn between the 2. She is frustrated when her parents quarrel as both of them are not willing to compromise.
“Caught In The Middle” is traumatised and does not know how to go on with her life.
See: “Dear Thelma: I’m caught between my parents’ very ugly divorce”, STAR2.COM, 18 June 2017
Children in Between Programme Singapore
The problem facing “Caught In The Middle” is very real. As a result, family counsellors from the Divorce Support Specialist Agencies conduct free workshops for both parents and children Singapore under the Children in Between Programme Singapore.
In the Children in Between Programme Singapore,
- Parents will learn about practical co-parenting skills, ways to reduce parental conflict and the needs of their children; and
- Children will learn about positive ways to deal with the divorce and sharing of their feelings.
To learn more about how you can benefit from the Children in Between Programme Singapore, contact us today!
You may also be interested to read more about:
2. Annulment (Nullity) of Marriage
5. Maintenance Issues (Alimony)
