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Let them know that together you can deal with each detail as you go. Preempt your kids’ questions about changes in their lives by acknowledging that some things will be different, and other things won’t. Tell them you’ll still be caring for them in every way, from fixing their breakfast to helping them with homework.Īddress changes. Say “I love you.” However simple it may sound, letting your children know that your love for them hasn’t changed is a powerful message. Pick something simple and honest, like “We can’t get along anymore.” You may need to remind your children that while sometimes parents and kids don’t always get along, parents and kids don’t stop loving each other or get divorced from each other. Your kids are entitled to know why you are getting a divorce, but long-winded reasons may only confuse them. Give your children the benefit of an honest-but kid-friendly-explanation.
IF THE KIDS ARE UNITED MEANING HOW TO
What to say and how to say itĭifficult as it may be, try to strike an empathetic tone and address the most important points right up front.
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If you can anticipate tough questions, deal with your own anxieties ahead of time, and plan carefully what you’ll be telling them, you will be better equipped to help your children handle the news. Make the conversation a little easier on both yourself and your children by preparing what you’re going to say before you sit down to talk. When it comes to telling your kids about your divorce, many parents freeze up. Source: University of Missouri How to tell kids about divorce I count on my mom and dad to raise me, to teach me what is important, and to help me when I have problems.
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Your patience, reassurance, and listening ear can minimize tension as your children learn to cope with unfamiliar circumstances. But you can dramatically reduce your children’s pain by making their well-being your top priority. Divorce is never a seamless process and, inevitably, such a transitional time doesn’t happen without some measure of grief and hardship.
Some may even feel guilty, blaming themselves for the problems at home. Kids may feel shocked, uncertain, or angry. At any age, it can be traumatic to witness the dissolution of your parents’ marriage and the breakup of the family. But there are ways to help your kids cope with the upheaval of a breakup.Ī separation or divorce is a highly stressful and emotional experience for everyone involved, but children often feel that their whole world has turned upside down. Parenting Children and Divorce For children, separation and divorce can be an especially sad, stressful, and confusing time.
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