A young boy looking upset about something. He is resting his head on his hands.

How to Identify Signs of Stress in Children Post-Divorce

Learn What to Look For In Order to Help Your Children

Divorce can be incredibly challenging for your children, and even after the divorce is finalized they can struggle with processing all that occurred. Sometimes the stress your children feel can manifest itself in observable behaviors and physical issues. Here are some signs of stress you can look for in your children to determine if they are struggling in the aftermath of your divorce.

Physical Signs of Stress

Signs of stress in children can depend on their age, but often you may find that age groups can share similar physical problems. Some common physical signs of stress can include the following:

  • Lack of appetite or digestive problems such as stomachaches.

  • Sleep issues such as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

  • Headaches.

  • Tiredness.

These signs, among others, can be a clue to determine whether or not your child is struggling with your divorce.

Behavioral Signs of Stress

Stress does not always manifest itself through physical issues. Often you can tell that your child is struggling to process your divorce by noticing specific behaviors, such as the following:

  • A lack of interest in things they used to enjoy.

  • A lack of effort in school activities.

  • Temper tantrums (primarily seen in younger children).

  • An increase in anxiety.

  • Depression.

  • Difficulty in controlling emotions.

These behaviors can point to your child having difficulty processing your divorce.

How You Can Help Your Children

Helping your children to understand your divorce and to move past it is critical to ensuring proper development. One of the ways you can help your children is by using resources available to you, such as school officials and psychologists. These professionals can give you essential insights into child development and psychology and how you can best help your children cope with what is going on.

There are also numerous strategies you can employ when trying to help your children move past divorce. For example, preventing your children from having a packed schedule while making sure to spend time with them intentionally is a great way to prevent your children from feeling overwhelmed while allowing you time to be their parent.

Another great way to keep your children in a better place mentally is to keep them informed of upcoming routine changes, such as giving them advanced notification of time with the other parent or holiday plans. Doing so allows them to gradually understand their new normal and better process it.

The Help of an Attorney

Children require time and help in order to cope with a divorce. One of the last things they need during this time is additional stress, especially stress brought on by a custody issue. In order to better protect your children, it is important to seek the help of an attorney if a custody issue arises.


Law Office of Alexandra White, PC wants to help you through this process and to assist you in your custody case. If you have a custody question or an upcoming dispute, let us help you. Call (303) 647-4245 or visit us online to schedule a free consultation.

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