Worst Age for Divorce for Children, A Complete Developmental Guide and Pathways to Resilience
Research consistently identifies early childhood (ages 3-5) as the most vulnerable period for parental divorce, creating a “perfect storm” of developmental risks. At this stage, children experience divorce through a lens of magical thinking and egocentrism, often believing they caused the separation through their behavior. As described in parenting accounts, a 3-year-old may sob, “But…