The Effects Of Children Being Exposed To Disrespectful Separation – Podcast Episode 30

This week, Senior Associate, Dannielle Young talks about how devastating the effects of exposure to conflict and unhealthy relationships can be on children. There is qualified research that shows parents fighting and arguing affects children’s mental health, and physical health – long term. It is vital for parents to have a look through different lenses at what is happening in their separation and perhaps how they better the situation in order to not affect the children. This podcast will be followed up next week with some tips to help parents reduce the conflict and the harm to their children.

Research shows that high-conflict marriages or separations take a significant toll on a child’s mental health. It can range from issues such as insecurities to the child’s relationship with a parent, it can physically & mentally interfere with the child’s development and the list goes on.

Children in high-conflict families are more likely to have issues surrounding depression, relationships, and the ability to feel safe. Sadly, there are several studies that relate to children’s exposure to family conflict being linked to several eating disorders such as Bulimia and Anorexia. Therefore stating that the exposure to these conflicts is not only phycological, however, can result in severe physical effects if we don’t take control of what we are exposing them to when separating.

There are also studies to show the risk of children developing substance abuse problems is increased when children are exposed to conflict over a long period of time.

Children who are in conflictual situations post-separation, or raised in high-conflict homes, are sadly more likely to view family relationships in very difficult light and often have that same view on their own self-esteem. Children have the right to have positive outlooks on healthy relationships and be aware of their self-worth without any previous knowledge of what can occur in their own family.

So whilst you may feel like the conflict with the other partner isn’t a big deal to your kids, it is a massive deal for them. They see how you handle disagreements and they learn problem-solving, emotional regulation, and conflict-resolution skills directly from you! It is really important to be aware of these effects and act accordingly to ensure your children grow up with full potential, and are oblivious to the conflict between you and your ex-partner.

If you need to gain advice on your Family Law matter, and understand how to manage to protect your children from your divorce conflict, get in touch! Here at Collective Family Law, family law consultation Free Initial Consultations, where you can meet one of our expert divorce lawyers Gold Coast in person or via Zoom! Call us on 5574 0971 or click here to arrange a time to suit you.

You may not know what to do

But We Will

Book a Free Initial Consultation
Meet us to talk about your family law issues before committing to paying for any legal fees. We believe that this way, you can see if you are comfortable with our team and the legal strategy that we propose prior to making a financial commintment.