Divorce is a complicated matter. While your children may eventually learn about your divorce, it may take some time to understand why it is happening. As a parent, you may worry about how your children will react once they learn of your divorce.
While the conversation may be painful, it could benefit you to talk about your divorce to your children early. By talking to your children, you can avoid your children learning about your divorce from someone else. You could also help your children process the divorce as it unfolds.
Talking about your divorce won’t be easy. However, the following information could help you as you talk to your children. Here’s what you should know:
Plan a time for the whole family to talk
Your children will likely remember this important talk, so have this talk as a family. This way you and your soon-to-be-ex can discuss this matter with your children without confusing the narrative. If you have multiple children, talking together may also prevent one child from telling the other about the divorce and hurting their feelings.
You may also need to consider the time of day you have this talk. Talking about your divorce just before your children go to school may leave them confused. Instead, you may consider discussing your divorce during dinner or when the whole family is together.
Talk about what will change in the future
As you discuss your divorce, what you say may be important. You could talk about what will change after the divorce to ease your children into the idea of change. Your children could ask questions. Questions help your children process new information. You may need to consider being honest when answering your children’s questions.
If you’re going through a divorce and have children to think of, you could benefit by learning your legal rights and understanding your child custody options.