Divorce Ministry Zone

Every year since 1972, over 1 million children have seen their parents divorce. Countless more have seen the dissolution of their parents' (or step-parents') cohabiting relationships. Currently, about 40% of kids live in an arrangement other than with their married biological parents, and studies show that less than 50% of kids will reach their 18th birthday having always lived with their married biological parents. The effects of divorce and parental relationship transitions are well documented. They include poorer emotional, psychological, social, criminal, economic, and sexual outcomes. These kids are at risk, and both the church and children's ministers must be prepared to minister to these kids and stand in the gap to help them when their natural support system (their family) is falling apart. The Divorce Ministry Zone is sponsored by DivorceMinistry4Kids.com and Blog.dc4k.org.

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All Access "I Can't Feel God Today"

What will you say when a little child says to you, “I can’t feel God today”?  

Divorce Care
All Access "Whether" getting you down?

Find out how you can calm the 'whethers' in your kids' lives, even if you can't control the 'weather'.

Divorce, Uncertainty
All Access Are Hungry Hearts Listening?

How should churches minister to hurting children?

Children of Divorce
All Access Are You Flying Over Mission Fields to Get to the Mission Fields?

Do you know where YOUR mission field is?

Divorce Care, Single Parents, Local Missions
All Access Ask Me No Questions and I'll Tell You No Lies

Why do some divorced and single parents lie to their kids? What affect could this have on them longterm? How can you help?

Divorce, Lies
All Access Can Children of Divorce Multi-Task?

Can children of divorce be productive while doing several things at once?

Multi-tasking
All Access Children of Divorce and Overcoming Anger at God

This is a study of the anger that so many children of divorce feel towards God for letting their family fall apart.

Anger Towards God after Divorce
All Access Children of Divorce Need YOU to Help Them Manage Their Behaviors

How can you and your volunteers help children deal with stress?

Divorce, Behavior
All Access Co-Parenting That Hurts Kids

Co-parenting among divorcing couples is becoming more popular. What can churches do to help?

Bad Co-Parenting
All Access Co-Parenting the Divorce Way

Co-parenting is becoming the norm for divorcing couples and couples who are involved in cohabitation situations. But what exactly is co-parenting?

Co-Parenting
All Access Creative tips to use when living with or ministering to a traumatized child

A look at what we can do when ministering to, living with or working with a child that has been traumatized.

Divorce, Trauma
All Access Dealing with Challenging Kids at VBS

With VBS coming up, attitudes and conversations can make a difference when you have a rambunctious group of kids.

Divorce, Discipleship, Difficult Kids
All Access Dealing with the Effects of Divorce on Kids

A parent and children's worker's guide to dealing with the wide range of emotions that are felt by children of divorce.

The Effects of Divorce on Children's Emotions
All Access Discipleship Ideas for Divorced and Single Parents

When discipleship is the strategy, Deuteronomy 6:6-8 can be a reality, even for single and divorced parents. 

Divorce, Discipleship, Single Parents
All Access Do Children Experience Stages of Divorce?

Do children with divorced parents experience stages of grief from the divorce?

Stages of Grief from Divorce
All Access Do you recognize the behaviors of a traumatized child?

Experiencing a life crisis can lead to some children exhibiting particular characteristics of being “traumatized?”

Behavior, Divorce
All Access Does the Shape of Families Shape Faith?

Here is a report on how the shape of families shape faith.

Shaping a Child's Faith
All Access Does your church disciple single dads?

How does your church disciple the single dads in your community?

Divorce Care
All Access Effects of Teens of Divorce and How Mobile Devices Complicate Healing

Teenagers of divorcing parents need their parents to work on the relationship, but teens today are replacing these relationships with hyper-connectivity. Here are some important points that parents and ministry leaders need to know.

Mobile Devices, Teens
All Access Emotional Concussions

Emotional concussions can be just as lethal, and sometimes even more so, than a physical concussion

Divorce, Emotions
Free Family Ministry: Single Parents

There are many single parents in our world today. How do we, the church, help those parents to raise their kids? We can do these two things.

Ministry to Children with Single Parents
All Access Fear in Children of Divorce Can Cause Behavior Issues

Did you know that fear in the child of divorce can cause behavior issues?

Divorce, Fear, and Behavior Issues
All Access Gaming Addiction and Kids of Divorce

Excessive use of video games can become a trap (an addiction) kids get caught in as they try to escape their emotional turmoil.

Divorce, Addiction
All Access Glad You Found Jesus - Goodbye and See You Around

Once children accept Christ, what does your ministry do in order to keep them growing in their newfound faith?

Divorce,
All Access Help! We Have an Unruly Kid and Nothing Works!

It can be so frustrating when you have one kid or a couple of kids that disrupt the entire group. Everything you’ve learned about classroom management has been tried and the kid is still out of control. What do you do?

Discipline, Listening, Controlling your classroom
All Access Helping a mean or hurtful child

Children often respond to trauma by lashing out in anger. Linda Jacobs from Divorce Care for Kids recommends the use of the "grace card" to help a child heal.

Divorce, Dealing with Anger, Grace, Discipline
All Access How Divorce Affects Children

Here is a list of some ways that divorce affects children.

Effects of Divorce on Children
All Access How Divorce Affects Infants and Toddlers

Infants and toddlers are affected by divorce in several ways. They don’t know what is going on, but they do sense something is wrong, and they show this in several different ways.

The Effects of Divorce on Infants and Toddlers
All Access How Divorce Affects Preschool Age Children

The signs that we should look for to see the effects of divorce on preschoolers.

Effects of Divorce on Preschoolers
All Access How to walk away from a power struggle with a child!

Find out why kids want to be in a power struggle, what not to do, and when to walk away.

Divorce Care, Strong-Willed, Power Struggles
All Access Is there a difference between a broken home and a single parent family?

You might question if there is a big difference between broken homes and single-parent homes. 

Divorce Care
All Access Kids Are Blunt: Parents Shouldn't Get Divorced

Do you know how the kids of divorce within your ministry feel about their parents splitting up? Have you asked them?

Divorce
All Access No R.E.S.P.E.C.T. for anyone or anything. What do you do?

Should you expect respect from all kids? What about kids who have been through trauma? 

Respect, Divorce Care
All Access One Bird Alone is Like a Single Parent Alone

Is your church caring for the single parents in your community?

Single Parenting
All Access Rites of Passages for Children of Divorce

How important are rites of passages for children of divorce?

Rites of Passage
All Access Single Parents and Summer

How can churches help single parents during the summer?

Single Parents, Summer
All Access The 3 S's That Can Trigger Unexpected Emotions and Memories at Christmas

Help children of divorce better cope with the holidays by being aware of the things they may be missing this Christmas. 

Christmas, Divorce, Parenting
All Access The Infiltration of Whirlwind Kids -- What Do You Do?

Children are active and have a lot of energy. But some kids are hyper all the time, it seems. Here's what you can do.

Divorce, ADHD, Grace, Discipline
All Access The Unseen Side of Parenting in a Divorced Home

We all know that there are many issues that a single parent has to deal with in a divorced home, but there is also an unseen side of parenting in a divorced home.

Unseen Issues, Single Parents
All Access Tips to Help a Child Transition to the Other Parent's Home for the Summer

Read these tips on helping the kids in your church transition between parents' homes for the summer. 

Divorce Care
All Access Training Your Volunteers on How to Work With Children of Divorce

Here are some ways that you can train your volunteers to help them minister to children of divorce or children from single-parent homes.

Training Volunteers
All Access Trauma-informed churches

Trauma causes toxic stress on the brains of young children. But trauma isn't just seen in those who experience child abuse, neglect or poverty. It also occurs in children of divorce.

Divorce, Trauma in Kids
All Access Tweens and the Effects of Divorce on Their Lives

Here is a list of the effects of divorce on tweens, and tips for parents and church leaders.

Effects of Divorce on Tweens
All Access What a Difference a Smile Makes!

Do you smile enough? Do you smile at the kids in your ministry enough? Read here about the benefits of smiling...for you and those around you.

Smiling, Divorce
All Access What Would You Do With This Screaming Child?

How do you calm a distraught child? Read these tips from Divorce Care for Kids. 

Divorce, Handling Emotions
All Access When Should the Significant Other Start Disciplining the Kids?

Many children's pastors and children's ministry volunteers want to help single parents and families. Here's helpful advice on who should discipline and how.

Divorce, Single Parenting, Discipline
All Access When You Wake Up On the Wrong Side of the Bed

Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?

Divorce Ministry
All Access Why Collections Are Important to Children of Divorce

Here are some important reasons why children like making collections.

Collections
All Access Why Do Behavior Problems Escalate When There is a Divorce?

Read the causes of unruly kids during and after divorce. 

Behavior, Divorce
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