Is divorce better for kids sometimes? When you are planning to get divorced and you share minor children with your spouse, you will likely hear all sorts of information about the effects of divorce on children. Too many couples in Texas decide to remain in unhappy marriages for the sake of their children, often without realizing that a contentious marriage can have harmful effects on the kids. Indeed, when it comes to children and divorce, there are certainly situations in which divorce is better for kids sometimes than remaining in a volatile marriage. Our Dallas divorce attorneys want to provide you with more information about situations where divorce might actually be the best decision for you and for your kids.
High-Conflict Marriages
High-conflict marriages often result in children bearing witness to intense disputes between their parents, which can have long-term consequences in the children’s own adult lives later on. According to a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and discussed on WebMD, “if parents in high-conflict marriages can divorce and walk away from that conflict . . . then the kids probably will end up with a significantly improved home environment.”
In such situations, children often expect news of divorce and handle it better than in homes where the parents’ conflict is not as obvious to the kids. To be sure, as that study points out, “it is easy to explain divorce to children who have seen their parents fighting constantly.”
Marriages Where One Spouse is an Addict
When one spouse is an addict or is dealing with significant substance abuse issues, divorce may be better for the children. According to a study in Social Work and Public Health, substance abuse disorders in the home can have catastrophic effects on children and on the family dynamic more generally. If one parent moves forward with a divorce and is able to shield the children from some of the effects of addiction or substance abuse, the kids may experience less emotional distress and other psychological consequences.
Marriage and Domestic Abuse
Similar to marriages involving addiction or substance abuse, domestic violence in the home can be physically and psychologically damaging to all parties involved—from the spouse who is the target of the abuse to the children from the marriage living in the home. When children observe domestic abuse or are subject to it themselves in the home, the long-term psychological and emotional consequences can be devastating. It is critical for anyone who is in a marriage involving domestic abuse or domestic violence to recognize that staying in the marriage is likely more damaging for the children.
To be sure, divorce in this kind of situation—which will mean that the children no longer will be living in a home where violence is occurring—can certainly be better for the kids.
Contact Our Dallas Divorce Attorneys
Going through a divorce is difficult and complicated under any circumstances, but divorces tend to be more complex when you have minor children from your marriage. You should know that, in many situations, divorce can actually be better for your children in the long run. An experienced Dallas divorce lawyer at our firm can speak with you today about your divorce and child custody case. Contact Orsinger, Nelson, Downing, and Anderson, LLP today.