— Aired September 2006 —

Millions of American families are affected each year by divorce. The aftermath of a failed marriage generates strong emotions for parents and children alike. Amidst visitation arrangements, counseling and - in some cases - court dates, children of divorced parents struggle to maintain some sense of normalcy while their family life falls apart.

Dave IversonHosted by journalist David Iverson, KIDS & DIVORCE examines the emotional and legal aftermath of divorce, seeking to answer the final question: What's best for the kids?

Through interviews with children and parents, viewers learn more about the challenges that families face. The program also considers the pros and cons of current efforts to encourage "shared parenting" and joint physical custody.

Through a mix of studio discussion and documentary reports, this special takes a closer look at innovative approaches to divorce education, debates whether or not current custody laws should be changed and offers sound advice from nationally recognized experts who demonstrate how families can communicate, co-parent and heal.

While each member of the panel brings a unique background and perspective to this conversation, there’s one main point on which they all agree: The single best thing parents can do is to reduce the amount of conflict expressed in front of the children, in any way possible.

Kids DrawingShowcasing a divorce education program in San Francisco, Kids’ Turn, this documentary demonstrates how parents and children can use the practical tools of counseling, support groups - and even drawing pictures to help cope with their conflicting emotions.

Then focusing on the process of litigation during a divorce settlement KIDS & DIVORCE questions the aspect of custody. During the final segment, the panel discusses when joint physical custody makes sense and whether it should be the starting point for all divorce proceedings, which results in an intense debate. Yet even with the debate, one thing is made very clear and is stated quite simply by a child in the movie: "Once the parent makes that choice," he says, "it's gonna be permanent for a lifetime."


   Panel members:

  • Dr. Peter Jaffe,
    Academic Director for the Centre
    for Research on Violence Against
    Women and Children at the University
    of Western Ontario
  • Dr. Isolina Ricci,
    Author of "Mom’s House, Dad’s House: The Complete Guide for Parents Who
    Are Separated, Divorced or Remarried"
  • Ernest Sanchez,
    Senior Mediator for the
    Los Angeles Superior Court
  • Andrew Schepard,
    Director of the Center for Children
    and the Law at Hofstra University
  • Marjorie Slabach,
    Family Court Commissioner in
    San Francisco, California
  • Dr. Richard Warshak,
    Psychologist and Author of
    "Divorce Poison    "


Additional Resources on Divorce:

 

 Kids & Divorce DVD





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