In deciding whether to get a divorce, one of the top concerns of my clients is their children. For instance, they wouldn’t want to get a divorce when their child is facing a major national examination, such as the PSLE. What are the potential effects of divorce on children’s behaviour? Will your children turn rebellious after your divorce?
I read with interest Mr Wong Boon Hong’s letter to the Straits Times Forum Page, as published on 31 December 2017. In Mr Wong’s words, “it is far better to have a loving single-parent family than to have a complete family”. To Mr Wong, it is also “better to grow up in a peaceful and caring environment with a single-parent family than to have an environment where the parents cannot get along and end up quarrelling and fighting almost every day”.
See: Wong Boon Hong, “Sometimes, kids are happier after parents get divorced”, The Straits Times, 31 December 2017
Mr Wong was writing in response to Secondary School student Noah Low’s letter to the Straits Times. Noah Low, in his letter, described how he noticed a close friend struggling to focus in class due to the pain he was in because of his parents’ marital woes.
To minimize the effects of divorce on children’s behaviour, I suggest the following:
- Do not drag your children into the quarrels you have with your spouse. Do not ask them to take sides.
- Be amicable to each other. Be civil. Your children do not wish to see their parents fighting with each other over everything.
- Minimize disruptions to your children’s lives.
- Assure your children that both parents will always be there for them.
For more information on potential effects of divorce on children’s behaviour, contact us today!
You may also be interested to read more about:
2. Annulment (Nullity) of Marriage
5. Maintenance Issues (Alimony)
