Relationships Quick Answers

Counseling, Covenant Marriage, Custody, Divorce Rate, Domestic Violence, Effects on Children, Infants & Toddlers, Mediation, Parenting & Divorce, What Adults Can Do, Related Resources, Visitation

Counseling:

Is counseling useful for children who may be having some difficulty adjusting to their parent's divorce?

I am interested in finding a counselor to talk with. Where would I find one?

Where do I go to find a counselor for my child to talk to?

Covenant Marriage:

What is a covenant marriage?

What are the requirements to get married in Missouri?

Does Missouri have a covenant marriage law?

What attitudes do people have about covenant marriages?

What are the arguments for covenant marriage?

What are the arguments against covenant marriage?

Is there any evidence that premarital education can reduce the divorce rate or improve marriages?

Is there any evidence that couples who choose a covenant marriage are less likely to divorce?

Custody:

What are the effects on children of joint physical custody arrangements in which children have dual residence (e.g. alternating weeks or months living in each parent's home)?

Divorce Rate:

What is the current divorce rate in the United States? Has the divorce rate changed much over the past 5 to 10 years?

Domestic Violence:

What is Domestic Violence?

How do I request an order of protection?

What are some tips for handling joint custody following divorce in domestic violence situations?

If a couple divorces and there has been domestic violence, how is custody decided?

How can parents in domestic violence situations prepare for divorce and custody decisions?

Effects on Children:

My former spouse and I get along well. If we continue to do things together as a family after the divorce, will it be harder for our children to understand that we’re not getting back together and to adjust to the divorce?

My child does not like to be alone and has always had a tough time with separations. After divorce this problem with separations has intensified. What can I do to help my child with separations?

What do children say are the ten most stressful events after your parents divorce?

Following divorce what do children say about how often their parents have disagreements and do things that make children feel sad about their families?

In general, how likely are children whose parent's divorce to have problems?

What are some of the problems children whose parent's divorce have?

What is the affect of divorce on children's success in school?

Do boys and girls differ in their response to the divorce of their parents?

What kinds of behavior changes can parents, teachers, and caregivers expect to see during the time around a separation or divorce?

How does the age of a child affect the way that children react to the divorce of their parents?

Can scientists predict which children will have problems as a result of changes in their families due to divorce?

Infants and Toddlers:

How can I best prepare my 8-month-old infant to be separated from me? She will be spending several days with her father (we are divorced). She does not spend consistent time with him normally.

What do toddlers understand about divorce?

What are some things I can do to help my infant/toddler adjust to the divorce?

What are some signs of stress I might see in my infant or toddler during the divorce process?

Can infants whose parents are divorced form secure attachment relationships with both parents?

What can I do to understand how my infant or toddler is feeling about the divorce?

How are infants affected by divorce?

Why does my infant cry when I leave him/her with the other parent?

My child's other parent stopped being involved in my child's life when he/she was a baby. Now my child is asking questions about his/her other parent. What do I say?

Mediation:

What is Mediation?

Where do I find out information about mediation? Where would I find a mediator?

Parenting and Divorce:

(see also Parenting)

How much should I tell my young daughter about why her father and I got divorced? She is currently 2 years old.

My children’s other parent is lying about me to our children and is behaving inappropriately in front of the children with his new girlfriend, which makes them uncomfortable. What can I do to help them?

What can a parent do if a child is pitting him or her against an ex-spouse and does not listen when that parent tries discipline the child?

What can parents do to reduce the possible negative effects of divorce?

In spite of parents' efforts, do some children simply adjust more easily to a divorce than others?

Can drawing/art activities help young children express their feelings about divorce?

How can we help children adjust when one parent wants the divorce and the other does not?

What are some websites that may help teens deal with divorce issues?

What Adults Can Do:

What can teachers and child care providers do to help children adjust to a divorce?

How might friends or other family members help children adjust to a divorce?

Related Resources:

What are some good books for adults about understanding divorce and helping children deal with divorce issues?

What are some good websites for finding out more demographic information about divorce?

Where can I find out more about legal issues related to marriage and divorce?

Where can I find out more about support groups for adults and children?

Where can I find information about the laws and procedures for child support?

What are some good scientific books and articles about divorce and its affects on families?

Visitation:

Our grandchild seems to be reaching out for our son’s ex-wife, rather than us or our son who are his daily caregivers. Should we be worried that he hasn’t bonded to us?

What can a noncustodial parent due to gain visitation rights, or to enforce them?

I am a single parent. The person who my toddler-aged daughter considers to be her other parent is my former partner, who has no legal or biological ties to my child. My daughter and my ex love each other and I allow my daughter to spend full days alone with him/her. What is best for my daughter in terms of visitation, or overnight, arrangements?

My children’s other parent is not a good influence on our children. What can I do to change the current visitation arrangement?

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Last update: Friday, August 29, 2008

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