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I try to keep abreast of things that might impact our clients so that we can generate ideas to help them develop their businesses. As part of my daily scan of the papers I've just come across a fascinating article in The Telegraph (not my usual reading) which reports on a study in the Royal Society's Biology Letters Journal - sorry there's no detailed attribution. I thought it might be interesting to our legal marketing clients.
It discusses the impact a father leaving has on his male children. Evidently, if the father leaves just prior to the onset of of his child's puberty it will delay when their voice breaks. Somewhat contrary to this it is also likely to result in the male child having children of his own at an earlier age than he would usually.
The article gives no rationalisation as to why there might be these types of impact and I'd be really interested to understand why the physiological differences might occur.
However, the emotional impact of divorce on children has long been recognised, how many of us don't know someone who has stayed together for the sake of the children? This study seems to suggest that this argument might have some validity - perhaps boys growing up without a father look to recreate what they never had.
I admit I've only experience of living in, and as part of, a mixed sex two parent family but I'd always thought that if things went badly wrong in a relationship it would be better to seperate for the sake of the children. I suppose I didn't think that living in an unhappy home could be good for anyone - this article has brought that belief into question.
I suppose, as with most things, the issue is one of balance and in the end hopefully parents will do what they think is right.
However, I'd be really interested on views from any psychologists (probably not a big readership group for this blog) or divorce solicitors about the study and its findings.
