Suffering from our divorce

Q. I am sincerely hoping that you will be able to help my 10-year-old son who is currently in grade five at a primary school and should be preparing for GSAT next year. His father and I are divorced; we got separated just as he was about to enter grade one at six years old. I thought that he was too young at that time to understand what was happening, as he showed no sign at all.

During grades one to three, he was above average in his schoolwork. However, since grade four and now grade five, I have noticed that his grades have been going down. He reads well, but is unable to spell as well as he reads. He will do math today and will get them all correct, but forgets how it is done the next day. I have been sending him to extra classes but I am still not seeing any improvement with his grades. This is really depressing me right now as at times I do get upset with him when I keep explaining and he doesn’t seem to be getting it. His sister, who is attending university, also gets upset at times when she is teaching him. I was surprised when she came home last week and told me that it is possible that the effects of our divorce is just now affecting him.

Can this be possible? Please note that he sees his father only when he happens to pass him on the road. His father has been out of his life since my separation. He is the third of three children.

See what Dr. Orlean Brown-Earle, child psychologist and family therapist tells this parent. Also check out the other queries and don’t forget to leave comments.

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20091214/news/news6.html