Mediation May Make Divorce Easier on Children, Both Young and Old
October 12, 2016 by West Coast ADR
There’s a saying that goes, “no man is an island.” The same is true of a married couple; the decisions a husband and wife make together impact those around them, especially their children. If the decision is to get a divorce, more than just their two lives are going to change. For some British Columbia families, mediation may help to ease the transition.
When a family splits into pieces, the upheaval can be difficult on everyone, but especially on children. Young children may not be emotionally equipped to understand exactly what is going on with their parents. They are, however, sensitive to the emotions around them.
For teenagers, this can be an especially trying time. Changing where they live, where they go to school and even who their friends are is challenging emotionally, and teenagers are more likely to develop a mental illness during a time of many changes. Even adult children of divorce (popularly known as “ACODs”) can also suffer. Some parents may find themselves turning to their kids for support if they view them as adults, when it is in fact the children who need support from their parents.
According to one expert, a child’s ability to recover from a divorce depends in part on how the parents deal with the separation. For some couples, pursuing a divorce through mediation may offer the best way toward a less painful divorce. By working together with a family law group here in British Columbia, it may be possible to find a separation solution that makes everyone involved feel a little better.
Source: The Sheridan Sun, “I now pronounce you ‘ACOD’“, Kennedy Coltherd, Oct. 9, 2016
There’s a saying that goes, “no man is an island.” The same is true of a married couple; the decisions a husband and wife make together impact those around them, especially their children. If the decision is to get a divorce, more than just their two lives are going to change. For some British Columbia families, mediation may help to ease the transition.
When a family splits into pieces, the upheaval can be difficult on everyone, but especially on children. Young children may not be emotionally equipped to understand exactly what is going on with their parents. They are, however, sensitive to the emotions around them.
For teenagers, this can be an especially trying time. Changing where they live, where they go to school and even who their friends are is challenging emotionally, and teenagers are more likely to develop a mental illness during a time of many changes. Even adult children of divorce (popularly known as “ACODs”) can also suffer. Some parents may find themselves turning to their kids for support if they view them as adults, when it is in fact the children who need support from their parents.
According to one expert, a child’s ability to recover from a divorce depends in part on how the parents deal with the separation. For some couples, pursuing a divorce through mediation may offer the best way toward a less painful divorce. By working together with a family law group here in British Columbia, it may be possible to find a separation solution that makes everyone involved feel a little better.
Source: The Sheridan Sun, “I now pronounce you ‘ACOD’“, Kennedy Coltherd, Oct. 9, 2016