Assignment #3

Final Video Reflection (20 marks)

WORKING WITH FAMILIES

Professor:

Student:

1. I selected ‘Erasing Family’ documentary. Because, in my family and friend's

relationships, so many people get divorced without even thinking about their children. I

saw many children I know are struggling to decide which side they take. So, this is the

reason that I chose this video topic. In this documentary, the filmmaker Ginger Gentile is

shedding light on the impedimental factors that contribute to the deterioration of the link

between children, their mothers, fathers, siblings, and extended relatives. Over 25

MILLION PARENTS are disappearing from their children's life in North America
 because of divorce and separation. The documentary ERASING FAMILY shows young

adults battling to reconcile with their fractured families.

2. The effects of divorce on children when parents separate can differ. While some kids deal

with divorce in a healthy and forgiving way, other children may struggle with the

transition. “There are two extreme positions in the impact of divorce on children. The

first is that long-term effects of divorce have a significant negative effect on children's

mental health, academic achievement, relationships and more. The second, and the other

end of the spectrum, is that divorce does not significantly affect children” (Lansford.

(2009) p208. Family Diversity: Divorce). Experiencing divorce can be challenging for a

family too. Parents are discovering new ways to parent their children and to relate to one

another. Divorce has been associated with poor academic achievement, behavioral

difficulty, and aggression in children. Researchers have suggested that these negative

effects are not "as bad" as originally thought. Divorce should be viewed in terms of the

expectation that children of divorced parents will experience certain adversities (Divorce:

In Family Diversity (pp. 208–209).

All family members find divorce to be difficult. Children may become disoriented and perplexed

while trying to comprehend the shifting family dynamics. Children are less likely to be able to

concentrate on their schoolwork when they are more distracted. The comprehension of and

adjustment to divorce in adults and children may depend on many circumstances. Not every

child will respond to a divorce the same way. Both adults and children go through emotional

highs and lows during the divorce process, which frequently reappear and get worse when a new

crisis or change happens. Children and families may be impacted by a variety of divorce-related
variables, including conflict, poverty, disruption of routine, and change of neighborhoods.

Divorce is complex (Bee & Boyd, 2007). Each person will experience these circumstances

differently, as will the amount of time they last and the severity of the accompanying mood

changes. Children may be better off living with one stable parent rather than two parents who are

constantly embroiled in conflict. The chances of an easy adjustment are hindered when the

children become the focal point of the conflict. Changes in Relationships After Divorce often

lead to changes in the standard of living for the children and family. Research has shown that

parental responsiveness to children's sadness is one of the key predictors of positive outcomes

for children (Poon, Zeman, Miller-Slough, Sanders, & Crespo, 2017). Children from divorced

families who either live with both parents at various times or spend certain amounts of time with

each parent fare better than children who live and/or spend only part of their lives with one

parent, according to a study by Bauserman (2012).

Other factors effect children and adults in divorce

A decline in social activity interest - Divorce may also have a negative social impact on

children and families, according to research. Another factor that affects adults and children in

divorce is a decline in interest in social activities. Children whose parents are divorcing may

have fewer social interactions and have a harder time connecting with others. Children may feel

uneasy and wonder if their family is the only one to have gone through a divorce. Additionally,

because people would inquire about their divorce and life, parents would have difficulty going

outside or to events with their family and friends.

Having Trouble Adapting to Change - Having a Hard Time Adapting to Change Children who

go through a divorce might have to adjust to change more often. Changes in family relationships,

a new home or place to live, schools, friends, and other factors could be affected.
Feeling Sensitive - Sensitiveness A family going through a divorce may experience a variety of

emotions, and the children who are affected are no exception. Angryness, sadness, unease,

worry, and other feelings may result from this change. Children who go through a divorce might

be more sensitive to their emotions and stressed out. Children need a secure environment in

which they can express their emotions because they may experience the effects of divorce

through the way they process their emotions. Additionally, they require someone to converse

with and listen to.

Growing Number of Health Issues - The divorce process and its repercussions for children can

be traumatizing. Dealing with these situations can lead to physical issues. Children who have

been through a divorce are more likely to get sick, which can come from a variety of things, like

having trouble sleeping. Additionally, depressive symptoms may surface, escalating these

feelings of ill-health and causing physical symptoms to worsen.

Loss of Faith in the Family and Marriage - Finally, research has shown that children who have

been through a divorce are more likely to divorce when they are in their own partnerships,

despite their hopes of having stable relationships of their own as adults. This predisposition for

divorce may be two to three times higher than that of children from families without a divorce,

according to some studies.

3. Early childhood educators frequently witness the effects of separation and divorce on

children firsthand. In addition to aiding agitated children, they frequently become

involved in the actual custody and access disputes between the parents. Early childhood

educators can subject parents to their biased version of events to enlist their support to
 prevail. They must constantly be reminded of their role and the limits of their

professional boundaries (span of practice). Early childhood educators' goal is to facilitate

the child's social, emotional, behavioral, physical, intellectual, and academic

development, despite parents frequently viewing them as glorified babysitters. With

children, early childhood educators do not sit still. They are trained to carry out and

develop curriculum that supports these goals and are always fostering appropriate

developmental growth in all listed areas. The setting where they offer support has

changed yet it mostly happens in one or the other local area or in-home settings. The

scope of practice, or professional boundaries, are therefore determined by their role and

practice setting.

Ideas for Early childhood Educators to support children and families

 Analyzing their observations and interactions with kids, adults can better understand how

kids respond to their parents' separation and divorce.

 Understand the causes, types, and effects of parental stress

 Conduct quiet conversations with kids, checking in on them, listening well, allowing

them to speak, and reassuring them

 Schedule a one-on-one meeting with a teacher's assistant to offer them emotional support

or to help them adjust to the school day

 Be approachable by both parents and kids

 Provide a welcoming environment where kids feel comfortable talking

 Build relationships with kids and families so they feel comfortable talking to them
  let parents know how their child is doing academically, emotionally, and socially at

school

 Direct kids to the student welfare coordinator when they need more help

 Use a scale from zero to 10, where zero represents no problem and ten represents the

worst problem imaginable, discussing catastrophic scales with kids can help them put

their difficulties into perspective.

 Maintain adherence to school customs, guidelines, and expectations

 Ensure that the child participates in encouraging friendship groups in the classroom and

on the playground.

 Establish reasonable standards for the child's academic performance

 Coordinate the child's tutoring with the teacher, other parents, peers, and teacher aides

Examples to practice:

 Make sure to not always saying “tell mum" But instead saying “tell the person who packs

your lunch”

 “Does your homework with you” having flexible expectations with the child’s

schoolwork

 Arranging tutoring for the child with the teacher, other parents, peers, and teacher aides

getting financial support through the school welfare budget or community organizations

for resources, food, and to help pay for school excursions and camps

4. Families in Transition (FIT) - familyservicetoronto.org

Families in Transition (FIT) is a voluntary service supporting the emotional well-being of

children and adults who are experiencing meaningful change brought on by separation/divorce.

Our professional staff works with families to find solutions, explore options using a variety of

tools and approaches that promote the emotional well-being of children and their parents.

REFERENCES

1. Shimoni, R., & Baxter, J. (2019). Divorce. In Working with families (pp.207-222). Pearson.
2. Gentile, Ginger. (filmmaker). Erasing Family