3 things your children should know about divorce

It may be troubling to figure out how to talk to your children about your divorce. You may worry you’ll scare them about what life will be like in the future. You may think your children won’t understand the weight of divorce.

Children understand more than we often give them credit for. Your children may even live a healthier and stronger life after divorce. You can prepare to talk about divorce to your kids by keeping a few things in mind. Here’s what you should consider:

Don’t let your children blame themselves

Children often come to an immediate conclusion that your divorce was caused by them. They know they can be exhausting at times. They may even believe a minor problem they caused led to your divorce.

You may need to remind your children that they are not a burden on you and your spouse’s life. Limiting a self-blaming narrative can help your children’s mental health in the long run.

Gently explain why you and your spouse are divorcing

You may need to talk about how you and your spouse had difficulties staying together. You may want to explain your divorce will be better for everyone. You don’t need to go into exact detail about your divorce, instead, you can favor generals that are easily understandable and less revealing.

Create a positive picture for the future

Your children may realize that their life will be very different from now on. They may need to change schools or visit you and your spouse on separate weeks. Your children may find this startling at first.

You can envision what the future will be like after divorce to calm your children down. Your children might find it exciting to have two separate rooms or that they’ll be living by a beach. If your children have a positive image of the future then they may be more accepting of your divorce.

Your children deserve to know about your divorce as much as you do. Going through a divorce can be tricky and daunting. You should know your options when it comes to getting the divorce you want and protecting your parent-child relationship.