I wrote this post a couple of years ago for Your Tango and wanted to share it here with you.
One of the most heartbreaking parts of divorce is telling your kids. You don’t want to hurt your kids, but they need to know what is happening.
How to tell kids about divorce is by remembering a few important things (no matter the ages of your children):
1. Be intentional about time and place.
There’s no way around it. This will be a heart-wrenching and traumatic conversation for everyone involved. Consider what else is going on in your child’s life and break the news when they will be at home for a day or two.
Think about where you will tell them and what they are doing when you initiate the conversation. Do it in a private place that is not connected to a favorite or regular activity like bedtime or mealtime, because whatever they are engaged in will probably become paired with strong negative emotion.
2. Tell the children together.
You do not want to put a child in the position of keeping a secret from their siblings. Having both parents present ensures that everyone has the same information and minimizes children feeling like they are being coerced into choosing one parent’s side over the other.
3. Do not blame.
Children need both parents, so do your best to ensure that they are able to maintain a relationship with both parents. Deciding to get divorced is an adult decision. It is not appropriate to give your children all the gory details about why you are getting divorced.
4. Tell them what to expect.
Ideally, both parents will continue to live in the same school district and both will have the children living with them on a regular basis. No matter what the plans are, let the kids know when one parent will be moving out and inform them how you will share parenting time.
5. Put yourself in your children’s place.
Unless the current home arrangement is an abusive environment, you are turning your child’s world upside down. Your children will not be happy about this. They are likely to be angry, sad, and shocked. Be gentle with them. The news will be like an earthquake.
You can rebuild a safe and loving home for them — perhaps one that is even better than their current situation — but it is normal for them to want to stop feeling something like devastation.
A few days is enough warning, especially for children who are still living at home. Time seems longer for children. Remember how long summer seemed when you were a child? Or waiting for Christmas?
This exaggerated perception of time also applies to things they do not want to happen. Every day they wait will be one they spend hoping that the divorce will go away.
There are also some special considerations by age that you need to take note of:
- Preschool
Preschoolers are very concrete thinkers focused on the physical world and facts. They are not yet able to understand most abstract concepts. Tell them they will spend time at both homes. Stress that you both love them and it is not their fault that Mommy and Daddy cannot live together anymore.
- Elementary School
Younger elementary school children are still very concrete thinkers focused on facts and the physical world. Older elementary children are beginning to understand some abstract ideas and concepts. All children, but especially elementary-age children, often feel that divorce is their fault.
Stress that Mom and Dad are going to be living in different houses and getting divorced because of adult problems and it is not because of the children in any way. State clearly that the children will be living with both of you.
Children at this age understand a calendar. Mark a calendar with the first few weeks of the new schedule for when they will be with Mom and when they will be with Dad.
- Middle School and High School
This is a confusing time for children. Some days, they act like adults and want to be treated like adults; other days, they act like little children. Everything is in flux. They are figuring out who they are and what they want. During these years, parents lose intelligence by the week in their children’s eyes.
Teenagers may think they get a vote in whether or not their parents get divorced. They do not. Take responsibility for the decision and assure them that it is not their fault. Teenagers may feel guilty and think that if only they had behaved better, their parents would not have divorced.
Keep a written schedule of the parenting time so children know when they will be with one parent and when they will be with the other. It is important that only the parents make the decision for the first few weeks of separation. After a few weeks of the initial parenting schedule, parents and teens can sit down together and talk about how it is working.
At this age, it is appropriate for the kids to have input on the parenting schedule, but ultimately it is not their decision. Children should have a regular schedule so that if they are being disciplined at one house, they do not have the chance to avoid consequences by going to the other parent’s house.
- College
Some couples put off divorce until their children graduate from high school. I understand this reasoning, but leaving home is one of the most difficult times for a person. Your child is launching into the world. They are pushing against the family and finding their wings. They may even act like they do not need home or family, but this is not true.
Tell college-age children about the divorce when they can absorb the news. Waiting until summer break may be preferable. That way, they will not be working on major papers or studying for finals while thinking about the destruction of their home as they know it. Be clear that you are getting a divorce, but do not go into detail.
Your children are adults, but your marriage is not their business. If you and the other parent fight a lot, it is fine to tell the children that you got tired of fighting and decided you would both have a better life apart. Do not speak ill of the other parent. Even when they are adults, our children need both parents.
Moving Forward
Because they live with both of you, they may already be aware that home is not a happy place. With some careful considerations, you can minimize trauma and rest assured that you and your children can move forward into lives that are better for everyone involved.
They are probably already aware that home is not a happy place. With some careful considerations, you can minimize trauma. You and your children can move forward into lives that are better for everyone involved. Get Thriving the Single Mom’s Guide to a Happy Positive life for even more help in starting your single mom journey.
You may also be interested in:
How to Survive Your First Month as a Single Mom
7 Practical Benefits of Growing Up with Divorced Parents
10 Signs Divorce May Be the Answer
Article originally published on Your Tango.
Hi, I’m Tamara the creator of Empowered Single Moms, a single mom, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and the author of Thriving a Single Mom’s Guide to a Happy, Positive Life and Thriving a Single Mom Journal. I have a solo private psychotherapy practice where I treat anxiety, depression, and relationship issues.
As a member of the Empowered Single Moms community, I believe you can stop carrying the weight of the world alone and build a life you love. Join my mailing list and get 5 Keys to Single Mom Success.
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