When parents no longer love each other and decide to live apart, a child can feel as if their world has been turned upside down. The level of upset the child feels can vary depending on how their parents separated, and the age of the child.

A child can feel a sense of loss – separation from a parent can mean you lose not only your home, but your whole way of life.

The stress that comes with living with a single parent — choosing which parent to live with, is consuming.

They become fearful about being left alone – if one parent can go, perhaps the other will do the same.

Children become angry at one or both parents for the relationship breakdown. They become torn between both parents.

A child might get so worried about having caused the parental separation. Most children often take the blame for their parent’s separation.

Even if the parental relationship had been very tense or violent, children may still have mixed feelings about the separation. Many children hold onto a wish that their parents may get back together. Whatever may have gone wrong in the relationship, both parents still have a very important part to play in their children’s lives.