You sometimes have parents who will say that they are only married because of their children. They may not state this directly or tell the children, of course. But the couple wants to get divorced and has made a mutual decision to stay together for the kids.
Every situation is unique. All parents need to decide what is best for them and for their children. However, there is some evidence that staying together for the kids can actually be detrimental. Let’s look at two reasons why this may not be a good idea.
It can cause more problems
For one thing, evidence suggests that children who are living in a home with unhappy parents may actually experience detrimental impacts on their growth and development. If they are constantly exposed to conflict, disagreements, or even arguments and violence, it can have a long-lasting negative effect on the children. They may be better off having two parents who no longer live together, but who are relatively much happier than they were when they were married.
Co-parenting can solve it
Additionally, some parents will talk about not wanting to get divorced because of the negative impact on the children. But studies suggest that the solution to this is to work hard to be effective co-parents. Many of the negative ramifications of divorce are simply because children don’t get the support and structure they need from their parents. But co-parents can still provide this, just like married couples, as long as they are dedicated to doing so.
It’s very important to address child custody issues when splitting up. Parents need to make sure they know exactly what legal rights and options they have.
