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and divorce ● Anger. Your kids may express their anger, rage, and resentment with you and your spouse for destroying their sense of normalcy.
1
● Anxiety. It’s natural for children to feel anxious when faced with big changes in their lives.
● Mild depression. Sadness about the family’s new situation is normal, and sadness coupled with a sense of hopelessness and helplessness is likely to become a mild form of depression. It will take some time for your kids to work through their issues about the separation or divorce, but you should see gradual improvement over time.
Normal reactions to separation
2
Red flags for more serious
problems If things get worse rather than better after several months, it may be a sign that your child is stuck in depression, anxiety or anger and could use some additional support. Watch for these warning signs of divorce-related depression or anxiety:
● Sleep problems ● Poor concentration ●Trouble at school ● Drug or alcohol abuse ● Self-injury, cutting
● Frequent angry or violent outbursts
● Withdrawal from loved ones
● Refusal of loved activities
While it’s good for kids to learn to be flexible, adjusting to many new things at once can be very difficult. Help your kids adjust to change by providing as much stability and structure as possible in their daily lives.
3 But creating some
regular routines at each household and consistently communicating to your children what to expect will provide your kids with a sense of calm and stability.
The benefit of schedules and organization for younger children is widely recognized. Children feel safer and more secure when they know what to expect next. Knowing that, even when they switch homes, dinner time is followed by a bath and then homework, for example, can set a child’s mind at ease.
Provide stability and structure
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