The Effect of Divorce on a Child’s Education

 

 

This guest post is courtesy of Ashley Ogden, Regent Law 2L:

Divorce is undoubtedly a challenging time of life for all parties involved, whether you are the one initiating the divorce or not. Even more so, divorce is particularly difficult for any children involved. The effect of divorce on children broadly impacts a child’s self-esteem, social skills, behavior, and mental health. Often overlooked, however, is the substantial negative impact divorce has on a child's educational development.

The sudden loss of the family unit resulting from divorce has a profound impact on a child's educational success. The family, after all, is a child's first and most influential learning environment before they graduate to the classroom. When divorce disrupts the equilibrium of the family, the resulting shock has a negative ripple effect on the child's educational journey. The emotional toll following the process of divorce indirectly affects a child's ability to maintain focus and motivation in school. Further, the stress and anxiety related to significant family dynamic changes can likely manifest in lower academic performance, decreased participation in school activities, and behavioral issues in the classroom. It is nearly impossible to hide the effects of divorce from children of any age, and this upheaval in the home can be extremely distracting, leading to irregular homework completion, difficulty concentrating on studies, and increased absenteeism. In some circumstances, children may need to abruptly switch schools, further disrupting their educational continuity which may reflect in subsequent poor academic performance and frustrated social relationships at school.

As previously mentioned, divorce is an emotionally and physically draining experience for all parties involved and while divorce can likely result in a child's decreased educational performance, it is important to remember that the school grounds can also serve as a blessing and source of stability and structure during this tumultuous time. While divorce presents an influx of inconsistencies and unknowns, the routine of school coupled with familiar teachers and friendships can provide a comforting sense of normalcy for children going through a divorce.