Parents may make the decision to delay divorce until their children are older and on their own. Parents in this situation hope that because the children are no longer minors, they will have an easier time dealing with the divorce. But this is not always the case. A later in life divorce, what is usually known as gray divorce, often still impacts adult children.
Easing the pain of gray divorce
It is common that parents want to do everything possible to help their young children deal with divorce. But some parents do not realize that even adult children can be negatively impacted when their parents separate. They may feel like their parents lied to them during childhood by remaining in an unhappy marriage. Adult children of gray divorce often suffer from feelings of anger, resentment and shock.
When parents with children of any age divorce, it is important to try to help them deal with the emotional trauma. Divorced parents often use support groups or therapy post-divorce to help themselves move forward. It can help to also encourage their adult children to reach out for help if they are struggling to come to terms with their parents’ separation.
Legal solutions
Dealing with parents’ divorce is never easy for children of any age. Adult children can struggle when their parents go through gray divorce and it’s a different hardship than those experienced by minor children. Divorcing parents can try to help their children cope with the divorce while also ensuring that they have sound legal representation in the process. An experienced attorney can provide insight on the best way to proceed with the legal side of divorce.
