Divorce is one of the top five reasons kids wind up in therapy, and an unstable family life (often a precursor of divorce) is another. The most stressful event a child may experience is the death of a parent, but divorce is the second most stressful. While the divorcing parents' stress often peaks during the time of the actual separation, a child's grief can linger for many years. Dr. Judith Wallerstein's study of children of divorce found that, "divorce is a cumulative experience for the child. Its impact increases over time." Wallerstein also found that adults whose parents divorced while they were young often believe that divorce is the first alternative to conflict in their own marriages.
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