When parents divorce, it can be particularly challenging for kids to handle.
Ultimately, your efforts to support your kids through your divorce can determine what type of long-term impact it has on them. There are some things that you may want to consider to help your child cope.
Tips for parents going through a divorce
Your child’s response to your divorce may greatly depend on their age, personality and the relationship that they share with you as their parent, but there are some basic tips that can help most children through the situation:
- Make a joint announcement: This is one area where you and your spouse need to show a united front so that your child understands that you’re both making this decision.
- Make it clear that the divorce has nothing to do with your child: Kids sometimes blame themselves for their parents’ divorce.
- Be prepared for the emotional response: They could also experience shock, anger, worry, sadness or frustration in the face of your divorce.
- Avoid open conflict in front of the kids: You can minimize the stress your divorce has on your kids by avoiding having arguments or any discussions about property division, child custody or anything divorce-related in front of them.
- Aim for as much normality as possible: Keep your child’s daily routine as predictable as normal. As parents, you’ll both want to remain a mainstay in your kids’ daily lives as well.
You should also avoid dropping anything emotionally heavy on your kids as they begin to come to terms with your divorce.
How mediation can help keep the peace in your divorce
Many spouses want to protect their kids from having to deal with their divorce yet find that their disagreements over property division and custody have a way of getting in the way and causing conflict. Children often get caught in the middle of these situations, resulting in added stress for them.
Parents tend to have more amicable divorces and fewer modifications when they mediate their divorces. Could that be key to helping your child better cope with your divorce?