Children of Divorce Month October 2009
Madison Mayor Finley to proclaim October 2009 as a month recognizing the special
circumstances of Children of Divorce.
What:
Proclamation Signing
Where: 100 Hughes Road, Madison, Ala.
When: October 12, 2009, 6:00pm
Children of divorce and children of unmarried separated couples face unusual and
daunting challenges during their formidable years. They can find themselves in
situations that are confusing, frightening and rob them of their sense of
security.
They can be the source of arguments. They can experience significant loss of
love and emotional wellbeing. They can watch parent-child bonds disintegrate.
They can be treated as property rather than human children that each have unique
feelings, ideas, and desires.
Children that split time between households, through no fault of their own, can
face academic difficulties and discrimination for situations that are well
beyond their control. Children of divorce are particularly susceptible to
emotional problems such as depression and anxiety.
For high-conflict divorce and custody cases, young children are often thrown in
the chaos of family disputes. They can be caught in the crossfire of people they
love and sometimes are made to choose between two parents who are their world.
These experiences can have long term psychological effects and can affect the
way they view relationships.
Children of divorce deserve to know that they are not alone; that any conflict
between their parents is not their fault; and that their parents' decision to
separate or divorce is not their responsibility.
As a community, we must better understand the emotional imprint that divorce,
and especially high-conflict custody cases, can leave on innocent and
impressionable young minds.
Children are our most important investments in the future of our society.