It's been said that the only thing more difficult for a child to undergo than divorce is the death of a parent. Obviously, it's extremely hard on the parents also.

Research shows several potential adverse effects for these children. For example, poor academic performance and possible social, emotional, or behavioral issues.

The good news is certainly these issues don't apply to all children and, if the divorce/separation is handled as well as possible by the parents there may very well be no negative results.

The overriding thought of parents should be "child first" when making any decisions. Thinking of how this will affect your child before making major choices will help immensely.

There is a great deal of information available with good advice on how to handle a very difficult situation. This book describes a program offered by the school district in which I was the school counselor. At the end of this book there is advice for parents going through this situation. Our Banana Splits group over the years helped countless parents and their children get through a difficult time.

Remember, the best parent is both parents.