Today, divorce is one of the major problems of society and in particular of families. Divorce is the definitive legal dissolution of a marriage. According to statistics, in 2013, 2.1 million marriages and 943 thousand divorces took place in the EU. This means that for every 1,000 people there were 4.1 marriages and 1.9 divorces. There can be many reasons for getting divorced. Don't get along with the characters nowadays. Alcoholism and drug addiction of one of the spouses, infertility and reluctance to have children, betrayal also affect divorce. Such a decision has a negative effect on society, but the children of the spouses are harmed the most. Divorce is the most difficult phase in the life of a married couple. As adults, they may eventually overcome the difficult period, but children become a collateral victim. Their minds are tender and they may slip into a state of shock at seeing their parents split up forever. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Divorce is the most difficult stage in the life of a married couple. As adults, they may eventually overcome the difficult period, but children become a collateral victim. Their minds are tender and they may slip into a state of shock at seeing their parents split up forever. The negative effects of divorce can be long-lasting on children and can impact their own relationships. Studies have shown that in the United States, daughters of divorced parents have a 60% higher divorce rate than those of non-divorced parents. The percentage is 35% for sons. There are some factors that can influence the reaction of children. First and foremost is the genre. Divorce affects boys and girls equally, but in some cases a particular gender may show a more adverse reaction than the other. For example, depression due to divorce is higher in boys than in girls. On the other hand, girls have a greater tendency to develop serious behavioral problems (MomJunction, October 25, 2017). Overall, divorce presents identical and equivalent levels of psychological reactions among children of both sexes. The age of the children also plays a role in how they react to divorce. The effects of divorce on children under 9 years old - the so-called preschoolers - are that they tend to blame themselves for the divorce. They also dream of their parents getting back together again one day. This is wishful thinking. Preschool children need a lot of attention, care, love and confirmation from them. Following divorce, they may become even more dependent on their parents. Adolescents (children between 9 and 13 years old) react in the opposite direction. They tend to behave more independently. They feel betrayed by their divorced parents. Distrust enters the relationship. They feel they have to take care of themselves, to take matters into their own hands. Apparently mom and dad put their best interests first. Among the effects of divorce on children are negative emotions such as bitterness, stress, emotional pain, anxiety, fear, feeling abandoned, feeling betrayed and loss of self-esteem. Judith Wallerstein, based on her long-term research project, concluded that the greatest impact of divorce on children occurs 15-25 years after the divorce, when the children begin a serious romantic relationship. Not during childhood, adolescence or the young adult phase. They expect to fail and fear loss, change, and conflict (Children and Divorce, n.d.). However, if saving your family isn't possible, there are some tips that can.