Research has proven that divorce can be a very traumatic time in a child’s life, no matter their age. Different age ranges can produce varying ramifications and for the parents, it is imperative to continually monitor and minimize the level of emotional turmoil experienced by their children. What are the top 10 issues facing a child experiencing his or her parent's divorce?

1. This is Not Your Child’s Divorce

As adults, the separating spouses should respect that even with one parent out of the picture, the child views the situation as that is my mother and that is my father. This dynamic should be respected, accepted and addressed.

A recent study, conducted in collegiate collaboration between Texas Tech and the University of Nevada, uncovered perhaps the tendency to cheat may be explained simply as a genetic predisposition found floating in your family gene pool.

The study, which surveyed an estimated 300 students, revealed that connections made between examples of parental indiscretions may have influenced up to 30 percent of students who admitted to cheating on a partner at least once throughout their adult lives. Thirty-three percent of the students further confided that the unfaithful parent was almost always the “king of the castle,” since the study also supported that men are more likely to cheat than women. The study also revealed that 44 percent of admitted cheaters hailed from a family who has dealt with infidelity, however, 22 percent saying that they have not engaged in cheating.

The study lead, Dr. Dana Weiser, shared her opinions regarding why children of cheaters can opt to break this repetitive cycle. Following are Dr. Weiser’s observations:

E. Mavis Hetherington, acclaimed James M. Page Professor of Psychology of the University of Virginia’s psychology department and the Center for Children, Families and Law, revered esteemed pioneer in the field of understanding how divorce affects a child’s psyche and future was once quoted as to correlating as to how “marriage has become a more optional, less permanent institution in contemporary America”, also believed that children and adolescents met challenging changes and stress often associated with their parent’s marital transitions.

Hetherington, supported by intense research, theorized that children from divorced families experienced a higher rate of dysfunction in academic, behavioral and psychological behaviors, more so than those children living in a copacetic family nucleus. Often a by-product of these challenging changes, parents in the process of divorce may find themselves dealing with a child’s anger over this life-changing decision. So what is a parent to do?

As per education.com, an online resource dealing with parents, families and divorce issues, the following suggestions may prove a sound starting point to help a child facing the uncertainties of his or her parent’s divorce and to decrease the instances of angry outbursts:

Parents come from all walks of life, but one thing nearly all parents have in common is the question, “How will I pay for my child’s college education?” This issue is a major concern for most families, but for divorced couples it can be extremely complicated, especially for those who divorce long before their children are of college age. That is why it can be key to include a provision regarding college tuition in child custody agreements.

Deferring Payment Plans

When it comes to paying for tuition costs, most divorce settlements do not address the specific financial responsibilities and obligations of each parent. This is easily overlooked if the child(ren) are of elementary age, but quickly becomes an issue once the child(ren) reach high school. Many parents regret not having planned for college expenses during their divorce proceedings.

Recently the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), under the direction of Gregory M. Bassi, Acting Secretary, released the average cost of daycare for Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake and McHenry counties, citing costs at $28.50 to $46.40 per day, depending upon the age of the child. As these high levels of child care costs may appear exorbitant for any family, these costs can seriously complicate the budgets of newly custodial single parents following a recent divorce and could be a consideration when determining child support.

As Illinois maintains statutory guidelines for child support, it is advisable to consult with a qualified Illinois family law attorney to discuss additional costs such as childcare or extracurricular activities when calculating a pending child support order.

Currently, an income model calculation is utilized for determining the childcare order, even if the parents can not come to terms with the level of need. Although each individual case varies, the following factors should be covered when pursuing the best case scenario when it comes to protecting the best interest of all children involved: