When Difficult Children Put A Strain On The Marriage
Most children have a little ‘naughty’ streak. It’s actually a healthy sign and part of growing up. Some children do put a real strain on marriages, however, especially those that are diagnosed with problems such as ADHD. Children can also come under the influence of peers leading to problems with alcohol and drugs.
Dealing with these issues can be difficult enough without having to also handle the stress it can place on a marriage. Marriage counseling is an ideal path to take for these parents. Being able to establish good communication channels while gaining an understanding as to how that problematic child is affecting each other is important.
Once you are aware of those effects, you can build strategies that support each other rather than living in situations where you are slowly pulling each other down. Once the parents have sorted through their issues, they will be in a much better position to offer their problematic child all the support they need. This is important for their long term well being as well.
Children can be sensitive to the effect they are having on a marriage. Because of their age, they do not have the tools to deal with that sensitivity so rather than modifying their ways, guilt and confusion can make their actions more problematic than before. Parents may want to consider family counseling as an alternative. The family can deal with a wide range of problems including those involving the actions of the child.
Parents can learn strategies to handling that child’s actions while also learning how to support each other. They can also reach a common agreement on what actions are mutually acceptable. Children can gain an understanding of the outcomes of their actions, and to learn to control or modify their behavior. Ultimately, it is the family as a whole that benefits from family counseling in these situations.
