You’re going through a divorce and you realize your children will eventually learn about the news. You may want to help your children process the news.
Talking to children about divorce can be difficult. But, with the following considerations, you can make this task easier:
1. Embrace the talk early
Many parents put off talking about their divorce until the very last minute, which can be confusing and startling for children. You may want to consider having an early talk with your children about your divorce. By having this talk early, you can help your children process the news and prepare for the changes to come.
2. Consider the ages of your children
Parents often learn that they need to simplify information for their children to understand complex topics. In other words, it can help to consider the age of your children before you talk to them about divorce.
Infants often can’t process complicated subjects like divorce and may naturally adapt to their surroundings after their divorce. A grade-schooler will see the changes that happen around them during the divorce. So, you may want to have a simplified discussion about what divorce means when talking to a grade schooler. A teenager may understand what divorce means and may benefit from a detailed conversation.
3. Talk about what will be different after the divorce
One thing you can do to help your children prepare for the future is to be open about what will happen once the divorce is over. For example, your children likely are strongly attached to their school and friends. If you’re planning to move after your divorce, you may want to inform your children that they will need to transfer schools and that means making new friends.
Understand your legal rights
While you want to prepare your children for your divorce, you also need to prepare yourself. You may need to learn about your legal rights as you prepare for a future with your children.