Self Help

Adolescents cope with their parents’ separation by assuming an air of false maturity. Sometimes overwhelmed parents push these kids’ needs aside, feeling that they can manage on their own for a while. But adolescents need love and affection even more because of their changing bodies and confusing thoughts.

Thus, to seek approval or affection, it’s not uncommon for a young girl to fall for the flirtations of an older boy, giving way to early sexual experiences she’s ill-equipped to handle. It also explains why adolescents fall into the wrong peer groups or experiment with mind-altering drugs or alcohol.

Kids this age also cope with mixed emotions as they see their parents as sexual persons. It’s a startling discovery for adolescents to watch their mom and dad show concern about appearance, begin to date, and become physically amorous with other partners. It can evoke vivid sexual fantasies in some children, embarrassment in others, and even cause a few to skip visitation with the sexually active parent. This doesn’t mean separated parents aren’t entitled to their own lives, but it does indicate the need for sensitivity and discretion.