When it comes to divorces some matters can get out of hand. Not only are the parents fighting or having a hard time but their kid(s) are also acting out or isolating themselves because of it. The amount of stress building up in those kids can cause problems outside of their home as well.

School behavior may change, grades will drop, all because they may feel they need more attention. So they disrupt class or if they become loud enough people will notice them. “I never thought I was being obnoxious. I never felt like I was being rude to others until my friend slapped me back into reality. She told me I was being a bully to others and it needed to stop.” An anonymous Sophomore CIHS female student says.

In others cases, the kid(s) could get depressed and want to be isolated from others because they may think this is all happening because of them and they blame themselves.

“All I wanted to do was get away from everyone because when I was around them I felt like they blamed me too.” An anonymous Senior CIHS male student said.

Sometimes divorces are for the best, for kid(s). Their parents may have some problems or habits that endanger that kid. “My father would always come home drunk on a Friday night. It was safer for me to stay with a friend than to be around him.” An anonymous Junior CIHS female student explained.

“All cases are different. You just have to let them talk it out and be there for them.” CIHS school counselor Ms. Choyke explains.

“I think that my kids were better off after the divorce because both their mother and I were much happier,” CIHS Social Studies Teacher Mr. FIlley said. Even though kids are thrown for a loop initially, CIHS Social Studies Teacher Mr. Weibel agrees that things will turn out better in the end as it did for his family.

Custody is also a major aspect of one’s behavior. With visitation rights and the constant change in environment and disciplinary actions given by one parent, then the other, it can become confusing or even frustrating. In some cases parents may break the visitation agreement simply by avoiding being home at the designated pick up time or not meeting at the halfway point. Some may even lock up their doors and hide making the one parent feel rejected and unhappy.

Some visitations can be granted as an every other day basis and others can be on and off (on birthdays or only on the weekends). Not all visitations are fair. One parent might end up having the child(ren) more than the other which can cause problems for the child(ren).