Some adults have first-hand experience with how confusing and emotional the divorce process can be for a child. However, regardless of your personal childhood experiences, it can be difficult to help your child cope while you are also navigating emotional upheaval.
Keep in mind that how your child perceives this situation is different from your own perspective.
Adjusting perceptions and expectations
Children are incredibly perceptive and adaptable, but they also see the world much more differently than adults do. It is easy to forget that, especially if your kids are preteens or teenagers. However, they do not have all the wisdom that experience brings and cannot understand many of the nuances of something like divorce.
Despite not being able to understand everything that goes on around them, even very young children can perceive emotions. Being able to cope with what you are feeling will positively impact your child’s feelings.
Balancing communication and over-sharing
Oftentimes parents end up on a far end of the information spectrum. They either want to spare their child the details and tell them nothing, or they have open communication and tell them everything. Neither of those options is the best course of action. There is a healthy middle ground when it comes to talking to kids about divorce. Give them the basic information as objectively as possible, welcome their questions and listen to their concerns.
The most important thing to convey to your children during this difficult time is that both of their parents love them and will continue to do so after divorce.
