The ripple effect of a divorce that impacts all the people related to the family is being publicised greatly. A strange but true fact is that divorce not just affects humans- the pain of it is echoed by the pets in the household too. And dogs being the most emotive of all pets are known to exhibit behavioural changes when relationships get split.
Relationship between Grandparent and Grandchild
Grandparents and grandchildren share a unique bond. The grandparents see a reflection of their own child in the infant, and shower all their uninhibited love on the new entrant into the family. Their enjoyment with the child devoid of parental responsibility creates a bond that is at once special and loving.
But this lovingly special bond they share is highly vulnerable too. When a couple announces their intention to divorce, grandparents are much affected, for they feel sad at the pain experienced by their offspring; a pain that stands doubled by the fear of losing their grandchild in the process.
If their offspring happens to be the custodial parent they are quite frequently expected to turn a care giver for their daughter/ son who is no longer able to stay in the confines of the home parenting the infant and is expected to work outside, for divorce also means a reduced income. The grandparent enjoys taking care of the young but the strain of the responsibility is too much of a load on the old shoulders.
Situations where the child leaves to reside with the custodial parent is a much dreaded prospect for the grandparents, as the child might soon move away to a different place. They fear that physical distance at some point of time might translate to emotional distance. If the custodial parent decides to remarry, step children enter the household and grandparents find it hard to bond with the new arrivals. Bonding with step children is a complex emotional issue and can be possible only after much effort.
Prevention of deterioration in relationship in the aftermath of a divorce is possible if the grandparents keep in regular touch with the grandchild through frequent phone calls and emails. However, these should not work as a replacement for frequent visits. If grandparents are denied the right of visiting their grandchildren they can seek visitation rights.
Change in Relationship with Friends
People who have gone through the motions of divorce are left with a feeling that they have not only lost their spouse, but also their old friends. Friends, who are theoretically supposed to stand support in times of need disappear with the divorce, leaving the divorced people a much saddened tribe.
It is worthwhile to remember that the process of divorce necessitates the requirement of new friends who are capable of lending the emotional and moral support much required during this transitory phase. These new friends who have been through the process or divorced themselves or those who are single parents can relate to the pain suffered, and offer the right practical advice that is much needed in such situations.
Effects of a Divorce on Pets
Pet animals over a period of time turn members of the family and quite often divorced couple who have parted amicably have witnessed fighting for the pets. However, the unfortunate fact remains that this is not the situation in every household with pets. Some divorced people give up their pets to shelter homes or worse still leave them alone and homeless.
Of all the pets, dogs depend the most on human love. These animals deeply mourn the absence of a family member. The pain they experience can be reduced to some extent by making the transition brought due to divorce as easy as possible, by not changing their lifestyle much.
The manifold effect of divorce is evident from the fact that apart from having a deep impact on the immediate family, it also affects the relationship shared with grandparents, friends and neighbours. The pain is deep enough to have an impact on humans and animals alike made evident by the despair evident in animals at the absence of a family member.
