Effect Of Parents’ Quarrels On Children

Northern Advocate, 11 June 1942, Page 2

Effect Of Parents’ Quarrels On Children

(Special) AUCKLAND. This Dav A warning to divorced parents not to allow their quarrels to influence and injure the minds of their children was given by Mr. Justice Cailan, when granting a decree absolute and giving custody ol a boy of eight to his lather. The decree nisi had been granted to the "'lie on the ground of a verbal agreement to separate, and the parties ’had agieed that the iather should henceforth have custody of the boy. ihe mother having proper and reasonable access to him and having him with her for half his school holidays.

His Honor agreed that if the bov unfortunately could not have the care of both parents it was probably more important at his age that, he should have a man looking after Iris future.

‘When parents who used to have affection lor each other,” continued His Honor have fallen out, and separated and then divorced, affection disappears and is ant io turn to dislike or even to hate

Innocent Children ,'An.d |s a very damwing thing to the ensuring, it, innocent as they arc of the qu.uiels of their parents, thev are brought into them. Access requires great restraint and wisdom on Ihe part of both parents, or m the end it will turn out to be verv damaging to the child."

His Honor said he wished to impress upon both parents that neither of them should ever allow one word detrimental to the other, or any hint of that kind to pass in the presence and hearing of this child. It required great restraint, when spouses disliked each other exceedingly, to do that. Il it was not done, access, instead of being any good for the child! had a most unsettling effect. If it was shown in inter proceedings before the court, that that was happening, then, in the interests of the child, which must always be paramount, the matter wouid be revised.