The rate of divorce is high in the United States is increasing with one of every two marriages ending up in separation. Consequently, there is a need for ensuring that early childhood professionals need to establish viable mechanisms for helping these families solve the adverse effects of divorce on infants, toddlers, and preschool children. From the start, families need to understand that the separation of parents affects children differently depending on age and exposure to the process of divorcing. In some cases, parents’ separation may have adverse effects on children while on other occasions it may have positive impacts. The strategies applied by parents need to match divorce experience displayed by children at that particular age. Solving conflict problems among parents requires an understanding of the effects of divorce on infants, toddlers, and pre-school children for families and early childhood professionals to provide viable intervention mechanisms.
Ideas and Advice
Divorce has both negative and positive impacts on children and families depending on procedures used in the separation process, gender, age, and the information given to children about the divorce (Golombok, 2014). In situations where parents keep off their separation problems from children, such children may not experience adverse effects associated with divorce. In this case, divorce will have a little adverse impact on children’s behavior. If children especially those in the age of 3 to 10 years have adequate information about divorce, there is likelihood that children will see separation from a positive direction as opposed to where children remain unaware of the causes of divorce. Children’s ability to cope with stress determines whether infants, toddlers, and preschool experience negative or positive effects resulting from parents’ separation. A child who is vulnerable to stress will always experience severe challenges when parents and there is a need for providing social support to that child.
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Action Plan
Infants
Infants are usually in the first years of brain development. They do not create a close connection with what is happening, but they engage in an active process for forming relationships with people who take care of their life (Stallman & Sanders, 2014). If parents divorce at this stage, infants may not realize what is happening, but they recognize changes in parent’s emotions and energy. Infants may manifest changes in behaviors by crying and calling for a need of the parent missing in the environment. In effect, infants in a family setting that has experienced divorce will show aggressive behavior mainly due to the demand for living with a person they have used. In assisting infants, it would be advisable to encourage parents to try as much as possible t stay in the same environment and give children adequate time to get used to the new living setting.
Toddlers
In circumstances where parents talk about divorce, there is a possibility that infants will understand some discussions about divorce (Stallman & Sanders, 2014). Despite the understanding of some words used by parents, it is always challenging to create awareness to toddlers regarding divorce. Children in this age only understand the current situation but is becomes challenging to prepare them for the future. The divorce process is significantly complex with many parents and relatives becoming confused and if toddlers can understand these confusions thus changing their behavior. Despite these difficulties, parents may prepare toddlers for divorce through different mechanisms. Early childhood professionals can start by following the parents’ decision especially on aspects that would change and what will remain intact thus creating an approach for adapting the child to a new living condition. The process also calls for a need of giving children their favorite toys and encouraging them to play. Successful intervention mechanisms start by understanding what the child knows about the divorce because it provides an insight into the starting point.
Preschool Children
Preschool and elementary children are 3 to 10 years, and they understand that divorce means parents will never leave together (Weaver & Schofield, 2015). Whenever children in this age hear of a divorce, they realize that parents will no longer live in the same setting and do not love each other. The absence of one parent makes children sad, and they may think that it is difficult to satisfy all needs as previously enjoyed. Preschool children may feel that they have been the cause for separation of parents through behaviors leading adverse effects. Childcare professionals need to step in and help children understand that they have not contributed to the divorce. In an attempt of reducing the harmful effects of divorce, professionals need to advise both parents to commit to supporting the child. There should be an engagement in a discussion about the children’s feelings and fears thus building on the strengths and minimizing weaknesses to ensure that the child copes with the divorce situation.
Conclusion
Effects of divorce on infants, toddlers, and pre-school children call for a need for a need for both families and early childhood professionals to provide viable intervention mechanisms. Divorce has both positive and adverse impacts on children depending on the availability of various factors that support children during cases of divorce. For example, parents need to ensure there is social support for a child and provide adequate information to children about divorce. Intervention by professionals should be categorized into different groups based on age. Solutions provided need to design to meet the needs of toddlers, infants, and children at preschool stage.
References
Golombok, S. (2014). Parenting: What really counts? Routledge.
Weaver, J. M., & Schofield, T. J. (2015). Mediation and moderation of divorce effects on children’s behavior problems. Journal of Family Psychology , 29 (1), 39.
Stallman, H. M., & Sanders, M. R. (2014). A randomized controlled trial of Family Transitions Triple P: A group-administered parenting program to minimize the adverse effects of parental divorce on children. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage , 55 (1), 33-48.
