There are quite a few different things that it can be important for divorcing parents to keep in mind and factor in when it comes to what they do during and after their divorce. One is the age of their kids. This is because a child’s age can impact what sorts of issues can arise in relation to the child in connection to a divorce.
For example, how old a child is can impact what things can be major concerns regarding the child’s emotional health during and after the divorce. Kids of different ages can be vulnerable to different things in relation to a divorce and can have different sorts of reactions to a divorce. For instance, toddlers can have a particular vulnerability to suffering long-term emotional difficulties from a divorce of their parents, due to the fact that their coping skills may not be particularly well-developed yet. Meanwhile, school-aged kids can be particularly vulnerable to having emotional issues related to a divorce of their parents negatively affect their education. Thus, when trying to help their kids with the emotional effects of a divorce, it can be important for a parent to take their kids’ age-specific emotional needs and vulnerabilities into account.
What the ages of a divorcing couple’s kids are can also have impacts on the issue of child custody. For one, it will impact whether child custody will need to be determined in a divorce. Generally, a child custody arrangement will need to be set up for any of a divorcing couple’s children that are still minors.
Also, age can impact what sorts of logistical issues are present regarding a minor child. For example, age can affect what a child’s schooling and activity schedule look like. It can also impact how regimented a child’s schedule is and how much autonomy a child has when it comes to deciding what their schedule will look like. Thus, when working out a child custody arrangement regarding their minor children, it can be important for divorcing parents to be mindful of what logistical issues are present regarding their children given their ages and to take these issues into account when coming up with the terms for the custody arrangement.
Source: The Huffington Post, “The Impact of Divorce on Children of Different Ages,” Gail Gross, March 12, 2015