Some people say that they are going to remain married for the sake of the children, but what they don’t realize is that the children can suffer negative mental impacts by having to live with parents who are constantly fighting. If you and your spouse are currently having issues and are thinking of staying together just for the kids, make sure you know some of the ways that this decision might affect the children.
It is normal to have some disagreements in a marriage. These are unavoidable, and they aren’t an issue for the children as long as they are handled properly. If you can work through disagreements in a mature manner and keep as much of the contention away from the kids, they likely won’t suffer any harm.
The issue comes in when the arguments are handled with toxic methods. This includes things like name-calling, insulting each other or things becoming physical. Even the silent treatment can be toxic because of the amount of tension it causes.
Having to live in a home where there is constant fighting can wear children down emotionally. They might become insecure, and they might not be able to continue building positive relationships with their parents. As the stress increases, it can begin to impact their health and development. This might change how they perform in school and could also affect how they handle relationships in the future.
Once you see how the constant arguing is affecting the kids, you may decide that it is time to go your separate ways. Doing this won’t be easy. You and the other parent should try to come to a common ground about the kids. This can help you through the child custody matters that are coming.
