There are a lot of difficult issues to deal with when it comes to divorce. While you might be worried about the financial ramifications, your primary concern is probably protecting your children. This starts with how you break the news of divorce to your children.
Tips for telling your children about divorce
This time in your children’s lives is very fragile. How you tell them about your marriage dissolution could have a big impact on them for a long time to come. To get through this time as easily as possible, consider these tips:
- Tell your children together: It’s best to present a united front with your spouse. This can reduce the risk of your kids receiving different stories from each parent. It can also help ensure that negative animosity isn’t developed between you and your kids.
- Don’t play the blame game: Blaming your spouse for the divorce will only build resentment. While your children might hold a grudge against the other parent, they might also blame you for trying to break the bond between them and the other parent. In other words, there’s a lot of risk involved with laying blame.
- Know what you’re going to say: This isn’t a conversation that you want to wing unless you want to risk getting tangled up in your words. Don’t risk it. This conversation is too important.
- Be honest and reassuring: Your children deserve the truth, and they’ll find it out eventually if you don’t tell them. Be prepared to accept their various emotions, too, while reassuring them that it’s okay to feel however they feel. Also, let them know that you’ll continue to love them and answer any questions they might have. Identifying the things that won’t change after the divorce can also reassure your kids that there’ll be some routine and normalcy in their lives.
For everything else, there’s legal help
As we mentioned, breaking the news of divorce is often the first of many steps in your marriage dissolution. As you try to navigate the legal issues you’re about to confront, including issues pertaining to child custody, you might take comfort in having assistance from an experienced family law professional.
