Telling your minor children that you and their other parent are going to divorce can be challenging. You may spend weeks wondering how you will tell them. Yet, sooner or later, you must.
Here are some tips to help it go better:
Pick a suitable time and place
Breaking the news of your divorce as you drop your child at the school gates is not appropriate. Your child will likely spend the whole school day distracted, confused and upset if you do this. You need to find a time and place that allows them to slowly digest the news. Where you can offer them comfort, answer their questions or where they can just go and sit on their own in peace for a while.
It’s also best to avoid timing it before something where they need to concentrate, such as their driving test.
Doing it together is typically best
If you can both be there to tell your children it can help show them you will still be able to work together to raise them. It’s also best to tell all the children at the same time to avoid mixed messages getting through from one child to another.
Explain what will and won’t change
It’s easy to focus on the things that will change, for example, Dad will be moving out. But it’s just as important to highlight the things that will remain the same. For instance, your children will still attend the same school. It can help provide reassurance.
With appropriate legal guidance, you can work on a parenting arrangement that will make divorce as easy as possible for your kids.