As a parent considering divorce, you may worry about the effect it will have on your children. You may wonder if you should wait until the kids grow up.
Divorce is never easy on a child
There is no easy time to divorce when you have children. Seeing their parents split will affect every child — even adult ones. However, watching their parents argue and fight day after day could be even worse for them.
Many children do not live with both parents
A quick survey of your child’s classmates will reveal several kids whose parents no longer live together. If you did not know their history, could you pick out which ones still live with both parents and which do not?
The 2020 census shows that 23% of mothers and 6% of fathers live alone with their children. While it is more common to live with married parents, millions of children across the country do not.
Parents have been divorcing for decades
Think about your adult friends or colleagues. You likely know people whose parents divorced when they were still young. Ask how it was for them. You will get a variety of answers. Some may have struggled while others did not. If you ask people whose parents stayed together about their childhood, you will also find many struggled. Being married does guarantee happy children.
Divorce is a decision you and your spouse need to make based on how good or bad your marriage is. A child needs two parents who can work together to raise them. If divorce enables you to do that better, it may be more beneficial for your child than you remaining in an unhappy marriage.