One of the most contested, and most important, elements of divorce proceedings in Ohio is child custody. Making decisions about the well-being and best interests of the children can be very complicated and difficult.

Today, a national news outlet published a list of some of the myths about the effects that divorce has on children. Learning about these can be very helpful for parents who are in the midst of a custody dispute, or even an amicable custody process.

1). This first myth is that children do not notice that anything is going on. Even when parents are being very careful not to fight in front of the children, children are able to sense that something is not quite right. Because of this, it is important not only to avoid saying negative things about your child's other parent in front of the child, but also to be careful about your gestures, body language and tone during this difficult time. The reason for this is not to teach children to mirror these negative actions.

2.) Many parents also believe the myth that children understand the divorce is not their fault. Children, especially younger children, have a tendency to truly feel that the world revolves around them. When a breakup happens, a child can feel that he or she was the cause of it for years to come. This can affect them later in life with issues of loneliness and insecurity, and it may also affect their ability to have healthy relationships. For these reasons, it is very important to clearly say and demonstrate to your children that they are in no way responsible for the breakup.

3.) The final myth, actually, is not completely a myth. This is that the children will be fine. Because so many baby boomers' experienced life with divorced parents and turned out fine, parents assume their children are resilient and will do the same. This may, in fact, be the case. It is nonetheless important to learn about how you can minimize any traumatic effects that your divorce may have on your children. It is important to teach them how to deal with conflict in constructive ways, and how to build healthy relationships. There are a variety of books and educational programs available on these topics.

Source: Huffington Post, "The Kids' Will Be Just Fine And Other Divorce Myths," Claire N. Barnes, Feb. 3, 2012