'''Children between the ages of 6 to 8''' will have a better grasp of what's going on. These children are getting much better at expressing their feelings, but, now that they're in a social environment with other kids at school, they're also learning to hide and mask their feelings, to lie when lying is useful, and to say things that they think other people want to hear. It can be difficult to know exactly how these children are dealing with their parents' separation.

'''Teenagers''' will have a much more adult understanding of their parents' separation and often appreciate why their parents' relationship didn't work out. However, while teenagers are developing important skills like empathy and have a deepening appreciation of the complexities of interpersonal relationships, they often develop a moral compass that's rigid and uncompromising. They are likely to blame their parents for separation and the upheaval in their personal lives, especially if it means that they've had to move or change schools, and can be highly judgmental toward the parent they see as responsible for the separation.