Divorcing parents too easily ignore children’s feelings

The trauma of divorce can be reduced when parents know their children’s true feelings about the break-up, new research shows. But parents may need to hear the message from a neutral expert who interviews the children and conveys their sentiments.

Research funded by the federal Attorney-General’s Department shows most parents interviewed for the study did not understand their children’s perspective. When told what their children had said, “80 per cent learnt new things, and some of them were shocked”, according to Jennifer McIntosh, of the Children in Focus Research program at La Trobe University.

After hearing the children’s viewpoint, couples were able to start thinking as parents rather than as embittered ex-spouses, she said: “The whole dynamics of their interaction changes.”

Full article (SMH.com.au)