How will divorce affect your daughter?
Research shows different effects of divorce on young boys than young girls. In this two part series, we’ll go over what research says about the effects of divorce on each gender.
Over the years, Woods & Matlock have made the often stressful and difficult experiences of divorce and child custody easier on our clients. We are your local team of divorce and family law attorneys in Fairview, TX with over three decades of experience getting favorable rulings for our clients.
Divorce can be hard on children, who will worry about the future during the stressful time of changing their living arrangements and time with each parent. Even if you disagree about a number of things with your spouse, as a couple, you’re both going to have concerns about the kids and how they will process the experience.
How does divorce affect young girls differently than boys?
Both genders are affected similarly, but girls tend to hold onto negative symptoms for about a year. Girls can have depression and anger following a divorce that goes down with time.
In most situations, the mother has the majority of parenting time with children. For girls, research shows the bond with their mother will help them heal from the trauma of a divorce faster than if they lived primarily with their father. While individual situations vary, the mother-daughter relationship helps girls move past the pain of divorce. At the same time, mothers need to help their daughters keep in contact and have a good relationship with their father if it’s possible.
For some girls, motivation at school can decrease after a divorce. Studies show about 10% of young girls share a decreased motivation to do well in school. The good news is, with at least one parent’s strong presence in their life, most girls will do fine in school despite the emotional strain of a divorce.
Developmentally, young girls tend to mature faster physically than other girls. The onset of puberty can come faster, leading these girls to feel overwhelmed with changes they aren’t ready to experience. Because of this. It’s important to be prepared as a parent in discussing the effects of puberty with your daughter.
Young girls can often feel like going through a divorce means they have to grow up faster. They can become the unfortunate advisor or counselor to a parent putting them in this position because of their own suffering in the divorce. Being strong for a parent can have a negative effect on young girls when the miss out on their childhood to be the close friend or sister to their grieving mother or father. It’s important to keep a line on discussing finances, dating issues, and sadness around the divorce with your daughter. She needs you to teach her lessons and support her, and it can be hard for her to get that when she’s treated too much like another adult. Make sure to read our next post to hear what divorce is like for young boys.
Get your divorce off to a strong start with the caring and effective team at Woods & Matlock. Call to schedule your first visit with our divorce and family law attorneys in Fairview, TX today at 972-972-8820.