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→Children's experiences of separation
====The impact of separation by age====
How children experience the separation of their parents depends not only on the level of conflict between their parents, but also on their age, stage of development and maturity. '''Infants''' won't understand what's going on when their parents separate, but they will be aware of anger and hostility and will be upset distressed if they're in the middle of yelling and fighting. (Don't think that your baby isn't impacted by your arguments just because they don't understand what you're saying to each other!) They'll also be aware of the absence of a parent if one of them moves out. For children of this age, it's particularly important that the parent who's moved out sees the children frequently, usually for shorter periods of time.
'''Toddlers''' will also be aware that a parent is missing, but won’t understand why. They are likely to experience anxiety from the change in their home environment, and may have setbacks in their development. A toddler who has been potty trained, for example, may need pullups again. Any lost milestones, however, will be regained. Like infants, it's important that the parent who's moved out sees the children frequently. However, these children will be able to spend longer periods of time with the parent who's moved out, possibly including overnights.