Talk to Auntie Betty: My parents’ frequent quarrels affect me

Dear Aunty Betty, I am a JHS Two student. I live with my parents and they always quarrel.

It affects my studies. Please help me.

Stephanie,
Accra.

Dear Stephanie, Hearing or seeing your parents quarrelling or fighting is something most children will feel sad about, worried or cry over.

But it is important for you to know that when people are living together things like this are bound to happen once in a while just as you also sometimes fight or argue with your siblings.

Therefore, the constant quarrelling of your parents does not mean they hate each other, No. It is something normal with human existence. Since you are so much affected anytime you see them quarrelling, I will encourage you, whenever you see them doing so, to go somewhere else in the house so that you don’t see or hear what they say or argue about.

There, you can get the needed peace and concentration to study. If you have a room to yourself, you can go inside when they start and close the door. This way, you will not hear the noise from their argument and you will be able to get the needed concentration to study.

Later, when you see that your parents are in a good mood, you can approach them and express your concern to them that their constant fighting affects your studies. They may not even be aware of it and by drawing their attention to it, they will stop.