Divorce Has Two Major Effects on Children; Depression and Behavior Problems

Divorce in today's society is very common. Divorce also has terrible and lasting effects on children. In today's society, marriages are less likely to last as they did 20 years ago. There are over 1 million children that suffer each year because of the divorce of their parents (Fagan). Currently there are 8 million children that live with a divorced single parent (Fagan). "Moreover, half of all children born to married parents this year will experience the divorce of their parents before they reach their 18th birthday. This fact alone should give policymakers and those whose careers focus on children reason to pause" (Fagan). When things are not working in a marriage, it is usually because of a breakdown of communication, common goals, or trust, and often this starts the process of a divorce (Fagan). A divorce is a very painful process with detrimental effects on children that are involved. Whatever the child's age is when the divorce takes place, it will affect how much trauma that child will endure. "Social science research reveals that the effects of divorce not only impact a child into adulthood, but they also affect the next generation of children as well"(Linaman).…