s of these plans can be included or added at different times in the child’s life depending on special circumstances. More often than not, the mother is awarded custody of the children. The absence of the father on a full time level is detrimental to the healthy development of the children. In the case that the father is awarded custody of the children, the opposite applies as well. Studies have shown that a deterioration in custodial parent-child relationships may frequently occur in the first year or two following divorce (Wolchik and Karoly 56-59). Chronic disorganization and inconsistent parenting are contributing factors to the psychological adaptation of children. Parents may differ in opinion when it comes to child rearing. Consistency is the key to helping children adapt quickly with as few psychologically traumatic scars as possible. The consistency should be practiced in every aspect of the child’s life including: new stages of development (eating and drinking adult foods, potty training, sleeping in their own bed), discipline, “house rules” (showing respect towards others, sharing, eating at the dinner table), and routines (wake up and bed times, meal times, play times). Because parents may have different ideas of what consistency means and how children should be raised, it is often a difficult task for the custodial parent to help encourage positive and progressive development for the children. The correlation between divorce and a drop in standards of living for female-headed families has been documented in several studies. The association between divorce and financial difficulties in these households may negatively impact children’s adjustment periods. Felner and Terre (1987) conclude, “Economic deprivation accompanying divorce may influence the child’s adjustment not only directly, by decreasing the level of material resources available to the child, but al...
