Kids & Divorce


Kids & Divorce: For Better or Worse is a PBS documentary exploring how families experience divorce—and what helps children cope best in the aftermath. Through interviews with children, parents, and professionals (including Dr. Richard Warshak), it focuses on reducing conflict, supporting children’s stability, and making parenting arrangements that fit the realities of each family.

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Kids and Divorce DVD Cover

What the program explores

Core themes presented in a balanced, child-focused way.

Children’s real experiences of divorce

Children and parents speak candidly about the emotional fallout of separation, including confusion, loyalty conflicts, and the strain of ongoing parental hostility.

Why reducing conflict matters most

Experts consistently emphasize that children cope best when adults lower hostility, keep children out of disputes, and prioritise emotional safety over “winning.”

Custody arrangements—benefits and limits

The program examines joint custody and other arrangements, showing why no single model works for every family and why context matters.

Helping children heal rather than choose sides

Focuses on empathy, cooperation, and developmentally appropriate honesty—without making children witnesses to adult conflict.

Who this is for

Audiences who commonly find this PBS documentary useful.

Parents Seeking guidance on how divorce decisions and behavior affect children.
Children & teens When viewed with care, as a starting point for understanding family change.
Therapists & counsellors As an educational tool in parent education or family support contexts.
Attorneys & mediators To illustrate why individualized, child-centered decisions matter.

Note: This resource is educational and not a substitute for therapy, diagnosis, or legal advice.