Srinagar, Dec. 20 -- Children are often the quietest victims of marital conflict. While adults argue, explain their positions, and eventually move on, children absorb the tension silently. Society often insists that parents should stay together "for the sake of the children," but it rarely asks an important question: What kind of environment is the child actually growing up in? The truth is uncomfortable but necessary to acknowledge living in a home filled with constant conflict can be more damaging for a child than being raised by a single parent in a peaceful setting.

Children may not understand the reasons behind their parents' disagreements, but they are highly sensitive to emotional stress. Loud arguments, prolonged silence, emotion...