If you are getting a divorce and have children, you and your spouse will have to break the news to them as gently as possible, particularly if they are very young. It will be difficult for them to cope with the idea that their parents will no longer be together and the manner in which you tell them will greatly impact their ability to process this information.
For parents, this will likely be one of the most difficult conversations they will ever have and they might not know how to delicately approach it.
Tips to Guide You Through this Conversation
You should never jump into this conversation without a game plan or it will likely crash and burn. Review the tips provided in this blog and apply them to how you plan out and conduct this talk with your children.
- Plan together: You and your spouse are likely not on good terms at this time, considering that your marriage is coming to an end, but it is still important to talk to your kids about your divorce as a team. Doing so will emphasize the point that, although you will no longer be a couple, you will both continue to be their parents and raising them will still be a team effort. Do not have this conversation at a time when tensions are running particularly high and make an agreement to not point fingers at one another when speaking to them.
- Use clear and simple messages: Your divorce and the reasons behind it might be complicated, but you need to keep things simple for your children. They do not need to hear the details about why this is happening. Your decision to get a divorce is an adult decision and nothing they did or could have done would have influenced it in either direction. Let them know that you and your spouse will always love them, that you will both be happier this way, and that you will continue to be part of their lives, despite having two separate households.
- Let them know they are safe: Divorce can give children a lot of anxiety and they might feel afraid and uncertain of the future. Ease their fears by letting them know they are safe. Some of the top concerns for kids with divorcing parents is if they will have to change schools, move out of their home, or if they will still be able to see both of you. You might not have the answers to all of their questions yet, but if there is anything you can answer that will provide some clarity, then do so. You do not need to answer questions about what went wrong, especially since that will only lead to a nasty blame game. Simply say that you did what you could and that this decision is for the best.
Contact a Compassionate Family Law Attorney Today!
If you are going through the divorce process, you need to hire an experienced family law attorney to handle your case. At Beatriz Zyne, P.A., our attorney has over a decade of experience in the field and will help you achieve your goals and protect your interests.
Contact our law office today at (305) 876-6138 to request a case review today!