The Effects of Divorce on Children Divorce statistics in the 1990s suggest that almost sixty percent of marriages end in divorce. Given this startling figure, it can be assumed that many children will experience some effects caused by the life-changing event called divorce. What exactly is it about divorce that leads to negative consequences for these children? How will these children be affected? Will these effects manifest themselves externally? The disturbing fact is this: young children of divorced parents face great psychological challenges due to the environmental conditions and changes associated with divorce (Wolchik and Karoly 45). After the year 2000, we will see the emergence of two groups of working-age adults. One group will have received psychological, social, economic, educational and moral benefits and the other group will have been denied all of this. The first group will have grown up with both parents present in the house and the second group will not have had both parents present. Parental conflict appears to have a pronounced effect on children's coping efforts. The intense anxiety and anger between some parents at the start of divorce is real. Often, parents let their children get into violent verbal fights with each other. Scolding the other parent in front of the child is another way of putting the child in an unfair position, essentially expecting the child to choose between their parents. Any form of parental conflict, whatever its degree, gives rise to a difficult period of adaptation for the children concerned. (Jekielek 1-3). The deterioration of parent-child relationships after divorce is another major cause of children's psychological problems. A divorce is accompanied by a parental project of some kind. A child can benefit from shared custody between the two parents or custody by one parent with visitation from the other parent. Variations of these plans may be included or added at different times in the child's life depending on specific circumstances. Most often, the mother is entrusted with custody of the children. The absence of a father full-time harms the healthy development of children. In the event that the father obtains custody of the children, the reverse also applies. Studies have shown that a breakdown in parent-child custody relationships can be common...... middle of paper ......e to try to take my father's place. But sometimes when she goes out with a guy a lot and he's nice to me, I can't help but wish he was my dad. I told her that if she ever wanted a husband, I had a bucket list and it would be great if she could choose someone who could help me play with my computer. I wouldn't mind if my father remarried because maybe they would have another child and to tell you the truth, I would really like to have a little brother. But I wouldn't want my mother to have a baby because she would live with us and then I would have to share all my things. However, what I really want, deep down, is for my father not to remarry and neither for my mother. What I hope and hope for more than anything is that they get back together. "Works Cited Diamond, Susan. Helping Children of Divorce. Furstenberg, Frank F. "Children and Family Change: Discourses Between Social Scientists and the Media. " Jekielek, Susan M. "Parental conflict, marital disruption, and children's emotional well-being." Krementz, Jill. "How it feels when parents divorce." Wolchik, Sharlene A. and Paul Karoly "Children of Divorce, empirical perspectives on adjustment."