Divorce is definitely a very bad thing; bad for the deep impact it has on young minds. Divorce frees parents but children end up paying the price. So deep are the damaging effects of divorce that the damages can last for at least three decades after the actual event has taken place. Many children could have been spared this great sorrow if only their parents exercised a little bit of caution and worked harder at making their marriages work.
Effects of Divorce on Children
- Divorces of low conflict marriages are not divorces based on hate but these are divorces often brought about by boredom. Given a proper chance such marriages could have been salvaged and the children spared of its devastating effects. Children of low conflict marriages are the most affected and grow up being unhappy individuals. Their unhappiness stems from the fact that they have been caught unawares while all along they believed that they belonged to the secure unit of a family that showed no signs of disintegration. Such children upon growing up turn unhappy adults and themselves turn divorcees in many cases.
- Another strange but true fact is that many men divorce their children along with their wives. Marriage marks an end of the father-child relationship, causing immeasurable pain to the child.
- Children of divorce are more likely to be delinquents.
- Boys and small children get affected the most when the marriage falls apart.
- ‘Neglect of children’ is a common feature of divorce. This affects children more than physical abuse; neglect damages deeply.
Whether divorce is necessary or not is a complex issue and requires much deliberation before it can be decided either way. In spite of knowing the negative impacts of divorce many simply prefer this way out of marriage. Probably the ease of obtaining a divorce and the social acceptance of it has brought about this percentage increase of low conflict marriages. “Divorce, is the end of all problems,” so believe many couples. But they fail to recognise that problems never end, the old ones are just replaced by new.
Difficulties After Divorce
- Divorces may be followed by remarriages but the effects of the first broken marriage resurface quite unexpectedly.
- Financial burdens become tough to handle. Families leading comfortable lives on double incomes find it difficult to manage with a much reduced single income. Almost 50% of the families with children face extreme financial difficulties after a divorce.
- Married couples who base their marriage on respect last longer, earn more money and are simply happier than single people. A divorced couple misses out on all these.
- One partner tries to do the work of two. This is a very difficult task and is often not possible. However hard a single parent might work it is extremely difficult to be an effective parent on your own.
Effect of Divorce on Society
- Another interesting study conducted proved that in any society the divorce rate can help predict future crime rate. The lower the rate of divorce in that society, the lower would be the crime rate.
- Children of divorced parents are very much less likely to pray. Divorce effectively diminishes religious belief. Lack of faith or religious belief affects society as a whole for religion is known to have a positive impact on mental and physical health, educational levels and marital stability.
- Children of divorced parents exhibit many negative influences that have been explained above. Given the increasing divorce rates many children with psychological problems are turning into unhealthy adults. This is taking society on to a downward trend.
- The Government has to wake up to the issue and take strict preventive measures before social decay sets in. Every year billions of pounds are spent to sustain single parent families. There should be a policy shift and more funds should be allocated to preserve the institution of the family. States should spend more money on creating a awareness in the society of effectively maintaining family ties. The Government should also make the process of divorce a difficult affair and this in itself might prove to be a deterrent.
