It’s commonly known that kids suffer when their parents split up. Of course, when parents divorce, children often face significant difficulties, which may manifest themselves in a variety of ways (emotional, psychological, and educational). As adults, we may more easily ignore the effects of divorce on our offspring. However, research shows that adult children of divorce face significant challenges as well.
It is advisable to consult with an experienced family law attorney if you need specific answers about your legal options.
Separation for the Graying
A “grey divorce” is one in which both parties are 50 or older. If a couple has been married for this long, they likely have a sizable group of friends and family members they regularly interact with. This community is shattered by the divorce, affecting not only the divorced couple but also their adult children. When a marriage breaks up, it can make the children feel like a part of them is dying. They may also ponder if the family they grew up in was real or if it was all an act. Losing touch with extended family, the family home, the ability to celebrate milestone events like weddings and graduations together, and the loss of essential family customs may all be devastating. A grey divorce can also have an adverse effect on the offspring of the divorcing couple.
Have Their Skillsets Evolved Enough to Deal with a Gray Divorce?
Divorce can have a profound emotional impact on a family, but young children are often shielded from this while adult children are thought to have the mental maturity to cope with this. Adult children are often expected to provide emotional support to one or both of their parents during this time, and one or both parents may actively involve the children in the process. However, even when they are adults, children should remain on the periphery of the divorce. Parents should only tell their children what is absolutely necessary.
Tips for Parents to Help Their Adult Children Deal with Their Divorce
A divorce can have a devastating effect on adult children. The devastating loss of support might result from a broken family. Adult children can also feel a great deal of grief at the loss of the family home. Divorce will likely have a significant impact on the lives of adult children. Some children feel they have to pick one parent to protect, usually the one they see as weaker. Kids’ encouragement in this direction should be rejected by their parents. A divorced couple should look to their friends or professionals for help. Avoid using an adult kid as a courier or spy at any cost. They need to be told it’s okay to love and care for both parents the same way.
