Divorce is difficult on you, and the same holds true of your children. If you don’t take the right steps to minimize the impact of divorce on your kids, it could affect them for the rest of their lives.
Here are four things you can do to help your children through your divorce:
- Answer their questions: No matter what they ask, provide a clear and accurate answer to the best of your ability. Hiding from questions will only make things worse on the both of you.
- Minimize disruptions: Do whatever you can to help your children maintain the same routine before, during and after your divorce. Some things are sure to change, such as the fact that they won’t live with both parents, but do your best to provide stability during this challenging time.
- Don’t put them in the middle: If you’re not careful, your children can end up in the middle of your divorce. For example, don’t ask them which parent they like better or tell them what their other parent did to cause your divorce. These details should never come to light.
- Get professional help: It’s not always necessary, but professional therapy can go a long way in helping your children understand what’s happening and how to deal with everything they face in the future.
When you take these steps, you’ll feel more confident in your ability to help your children through the divorce process.
Being proactive about your children’s emotional health gives you peace of mind, thus allowing you to focus more time and energy on making decisions that will benefit you and your children.