There’s no getting around it: Divorce will change how a family functions. This, however, shouldn’t stop a person from choosing divorce. It is a stressful experience, but many people realize that it might be best for the entire family in the long term.

As couples are dealing with divorce, during and after the process, it may be easy to overlook all of its effects. According to a recent study published by the Huffington Post, parents may not be aware of how their children are coping with the divorce. The survey says that nearly 40 percent of kids hide their true feelings about divorce, suggesting that many parents are left in the dark.

At first, children may not be able to understand why their parents got divorced. Of the children who responded to the previously mentioned study, 13 percent blamed themselves for their parents splitting up. Of course, these results show that parents may need to do a more effective job of communicating with their children and helping them deal with their feelings.

Creating a thoughtful child custody arrangement can help out with this issue. Not only does custody address where and when children will physically live after divorce, but it can also cover various aspects of parenting. By creating a parenting plan, couples going through divorce can make sure they are meeting all the needs of their children.

The reality is that when parents no longer get along, that kind of relationship can be detrimental to children. If parents choose to get divorced, they may need to find a way to help their kids understand what to expect and be ready to provide the support they need.

Source: The Huffington Post, “Survey Says Parents Are Unaware Of Divorce’s Impact On Kids,”