Conflicts between Parents

Unresolved conflicts between parents harm children:

• Conflict frightens children. When children witness traumatic events such as fighting or arguing it elicits fear, panic, and apprehension. Children learn dysfunctional patterns of relating when they witness arguing and fighting between parents, particularly when the parents do not successfully come to agreement at the end of the argument.
• Conflict teaches children to fight. Modeling is a powerful form of teaching. When children observe their parents fighting, they learn to be aggressive and controlling.
• Conflict disrupts child development. Children may get "stuck" in a developmental stage if conflict is traumatic to them. They may have trouble growing socially or emotionally when exposed to intense conflict.
• Unresolved conflicts model inappropriate communication, poor problem-solving, aggressive language and poorly managed expression of feelings.