This Can't Be Happening To Me...

Kids of all ages have a ton of problems. If you're a baby, it's that you're hungry, or tired, or upset. When you grow to be a teenager, it's that you have a zit, or that your crush likes your best friend, or that your size 6 pants don't fit anymore.

But when your parents get a divorce, no matter how old you are, it will undoubtedly affect your life.

Babies

Although babies can't fully understand when their parents are getting a divorce, they could have inattention from the parents being depressed about the divorce. Also if they are over-protected, they may act more infantile than they really are.

Pre-Schoolers

Although some regression in pre-schoolers is normal, some may regress longer if there's more marital dysfunction. On the other hand, they may feel responsible for the divorce and therefore try to act perfect. Anger, whining, or bossing is typical for pre-schoolers going through the divorce, also.

Grade School

Children of this age will exhibit many different ways of dealing with the divorce. The ranges are insisting that everything is fine, trying to see the non-custodial parent, or possibly withdraw from both parents. When kids have to take care of their parents or siblings after a divorce, they feel as if their childhood has been taken away. As a way to compensate for this, the child may resort to bad behavior like lying, or may demand material objects.

Preteens

Kids in this stage have a tendency to act out and laugh at discipline. Children who are constantly in the midst of their parent's turmoil can become suicidal. Girls could be jealous of their fathers new love interest and therefore not want to spend time with them.

Teenagers

Perhaps to avoid the pain that teenagers feel, they may act out by behaving badly, being promiscuous, or abusing drugs. Whether the child is a male or female, they could have trouble learning their sex role if they don't live with the same-sex parent.

Although there's not an easy way to break the news of a divorce to your children, you can try to make it a little easy. It should be obvious that you, as a grown adult, shouldn't yell or show conflicts in front of the children, no matter what the age. So that you don't lose contact with your children, you need to make sure that you're involved in your kid's life, especially through the divorce.

Lancer, Darlene. Divorce Effects on Children by Developmental Stage. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2011. http://www.womansdivorce.com/divorce-effects.html.

This website gives all of the information about each stage, from baby to teenager. It leans toward the female perspective since the website is womans divorce.