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How can your divorce affect your child’s academics?

On Behalf of | Sep 23, 2021 | Divorce

One concern divorcing parents often have is how their divorce will impact their kids. Some parents worry about the end of their marriage affecting their child’s behavior and mental health. The combination of these factors may lead to academic issues as well.

One study in 2019 found that socioeconomic status can influence how much divorce adversely impacts a child’s academic success.

How wealth and divorce may impact a child’s academics

Researchers reviewed family data from two different sets of statistics — one for parents and another for children — to hone in on divorce’s impact on a child’s academics. An analysis of the data showed that children with divorced parents were 6% less likely than their peers with married parents to finish high school. Their college graduation rate was 15% less.

As the researchers drilled a bit deeper into the data, they also noticed a trend in terms of how these academic outcomes correlated to prosperity. The researchers found that children of wealthier families tend to be more affected by their parents’ divorce than those in low-income families.

The researchers delved a bit deeper into the data to try to figure out why prosperity impacts how well a child will perform academically after their parents’ divorce. They determined that it has to do with a general correlation between wealth and a stable home life. The researchers noted that divorce tends to be so much of a disruption for kids of means that it adversely impacts their academics. Study authors noted that kids in poorer families tend to be more accustomed to some home life instability and thus don’t react as adversely to their parents’ divorce.

What can you do to keep divorce distractions to a minimum?

Since you’re aware that a divorce can be distracting and confusing for your child, you must find ways to keep contention with your spouse or co-parent as far away from them as possible. One of the best things you can do is leave heated battles to the legal professionals to handle. You’re most likely to achieve a swifter resolution that allows you and your family to move forward with your new normal when you do this.

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