Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's split has reached a fever pitch as the singer has reportedly filed for divorce after the couple spent over two months apart on opposite coasts, and failed to celebrate their second wedding anniversary together.
While all eyes are on Bennifer for the official announcement from the couple, it's easy to forget that their blended family will be the most affected by the split.
Jennifer shares two children with singer Marc Anthony; the pair were together for seven years and welcomed twins Emme and Max in February 2008.
Ben was married to Jennifer Garner for 13 years and shares Violet, 18, Fin, 15, and Samuel, 12, with the Alias actress.
Jennifer Moore, the Legal Director at the London-based Rayden Solicitors, specializes in family law and told HELLO! just how detrimental divorce can be for the children involved.
"The breakdown of the family dynamic is, for most clients, the most difficult time of their lives," she explained. "Unfortunately, in most instances, there are also children involved, and whilst often thought of as the most resilient, the impact of the upheaval can sometimes affect them just as much."
© Instagram"In most cases, relationship breakdown means that one parent leaves the family home and suddenly the stability and familiarity that is so important for children is gone."
For their part, the couple have tried to maintain a sense of normalcy for their blended family. The ‘Get On The Floor’ singer was spotted hand-in-hand with her husband at Violet's high school graduation ceremony in May, and attended one of her stepson Samuel's basketball games in June.
Despite J-Lo sweetly supporting her stepkids, Jennifer Moore explained that it may not be enough to protect them from the fallout of their impending divorce.
© Kevork Djansezian"It is important to balance this risk with the potential risk of harm to children of families who stay together where there is toxicity and acrimony."
"Family breakdown is known to be one of several childhood experiences that can lead to young people developing mental health problems such as anxiety and depression," she continued.
"One study has shown that children whose parents separate when they are between the ages of 7 and 14 are more likely to have emotional problems and behavioural issues."
© Kevin WinterBennifer's long and storied history together is almost legendary by now; they first met on the set of the film 2002 film Gigli, got engaged in the same year, and sadly split in 2004, before rekindling their flame decades later in April 2021.
When J-Lo and Ben reconnected, their relationship looked different; now, they were bringing their own children into the marriage, creating a big, blended family.
Their five kids walked them down the aisle on their second wedding day in August 2022, a month after they got hitched in Las Vegas. The Selena actress explained how special the moment was for her in her newsletter, On The JLo.
"We weren't only marrying one another; we were marrying these children into a new family," she wrote. "They were the only people we asked to stand up for us in our wedding party. To our great honor and joy, each one did."
Ben has been like a second father to Max and Emme; Jennifer revealed to Today in May 2023 that "He's fantastic. He really steps up to the challenge of what that is and what that means."
"And they love him. They love him. And they appreciate him, and so do I."
