Marriages are social institutions that sometimes experience extensive challenges. Many couples take divorce as the main solution for the marriage challenges. However, they fail to consider the demerits that come with choices they make. They are inconsiderate of the effects that follow their action. Divorce does not only affects but also children. Divorce can occur in a family where there are children as well as the ones without children. It will be considerable to solve problems in the marriage if there are children than executing divorce. The children are innocent, and they need to be considered in case the parents disagree.
However, staying together because of children would not end the conflict, and it would be more dangerous.
Conflict in a marriage would affect children in an extensive way. Children would suffer in a marriage full of conflict through numerous ways.
The first effect is partial attention. When parents are not in terms, children are likely to be neglected by their parents. There may be none of them responsible of their wellbeing since they lack the commitment or togetherness significant in bringing the children up. The children need both children to be responsible for their upbringing. At some point, you will find only one of the parents is taking care of the children, which is irresponsible of the parents. The children are exposed to extensive demerits and are likely to suffer most than if the parents were divorced (Hawkins and Tamara 77).
At some point, the parents may be the center of the conflict among the parents. There may be extensive disagreements among the parents that are subject to the inhuman nature of the parents. One of the parents may be blaming the other for a condition of their child exposing them to extensive disagreements. At such a time, divorce would be the best since the disagreement will remain as long as the couple sticks together. It will be wise for the children to be with a single parent who may not complain of any of them than both parents with one against one of the children (Hawkins and Tamara 79).
Long exposure to conflict, would result to depression among the children. In most cases, children will hear and watch their parents quarrel. The effect of the quarrels will expose them to extensive thoughts that they may not comprehend. The effect is mind instability, which signals extensive depression for the children. There will be massive challenges that will come with depression among the children. The main effect of depression is the poor mind development of the children (O'Connor 432).
Loneliness slowly builds up among children when their parents are in continuous conflict. The parents are likely to extend negligence to the children where none of them would bother with the children. The element is extremely difficult, and it is likely to cause exclusive challenges among the children (O'Connor 433). Since the children have no one else to communicate their problems to or socialize with, they will tend to remain silent of their problems. They may fear of becoming the victims of the extensive quarrels among the parents, and they prefer operating on their own (Hawkins and Tamara 76).
Remaining in a marriage full of conflict exposes children to massive development demerits. There are extremely low chances of social development for children in marriages that are full of conflicts. Whenever, the children witness their parents quarrelling they are likely to develop extensive fear. The children may be subject to the effects of the conflict through development of fear, which is a dangerous element for social development (Matthews 04).
In addition, the children are likely to miss their academic chances if their parents are continuously in conflict. At young age, children should enjoy the support of their parents to assist them in achieving reliable academic performance. However, it would not be successful if the parents were not in terms to control the conflict that is likely to deny the children chance to pursue education. If one of the parents takes the chance to bring up the children without the other, the children will have an excellent chance for growth as well as development. The children will not be experiencing any challenge that would prevent them from achieving excellence in their academic life (Clark 07).
The other social effects that continuous conflict in the family may cause among the children are irresponsiveness to religious beliefs and development of hatred for marriage. The children are unlikely to follow the religious beliefs of their parents even if they were true. Religious beliefs should measure the uprightness of an individual. There is no religion supporting conflict. Therefore, parents need to be at the forefront to represent the faithfulness of their religious beliefs among their children (Matthews 05).The children are likely to become pagan if they find that religion is not influential to proper livelihood.
Also, the children may become negative of marriages at their tender age. They may not be sure of the stability of the social institution putting them into extensive risk of engaging in marriage. Although, the effect may be in both situations when the parents are in conflict but stick to the marriage or when they divorce (Clark 04). However, the effect is more when the parents remain in a conflict-filled marriage since the children are likely to observe more challenges in the marriage.
Although, divorce has its demerits it would be better for marriages with children than consistent conflict between parents in a similar family. The children experience massive challenges that may affect their growth and development. They may develop extensive fear, loneliness, depression that is unfair for their proper growth. Parents must be considerate of their parents when conflicts arise, and they should aim at instant solutions to the problems in hand.
Works Cited
Clark, Janet . "Focus on Kids." The Effects of Divorce on Children. MU Extension, University of Missouri-Columbia, n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2014. <http://outagamie.uwex.edu/files/2010/08/divorcekids.pdf>.
Hawkins, Alan J., and Tamara A. Fackrell. "What are the possible consequences of divorce for children?." Should I keep trying to work it out?: a guidebook for individuals and couples at the crossroads of divorce (and before). Salt Lake City, Utah: Produced on behalf of the Utah Commission on Marriage, 2009. 75-92. Print.
Matthews, Wayne . "Long-term effects of divorce on children." Long-term effects of divorce on children. North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service , n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2014. <http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/pdfs/fcs482.pdf>.
O'Connor, Thomas , Avshalom Caspi, John DeFries, and Robert Plomin. "Are Associations Between Parental Divorce and Children's Adjustment Genetically Mediated? An Adoption Study."Developmental Psychology 36.4 (2000): 429-437. Print.
