Are you thinking about getting a divorce? If so, then there’s probably a lot on your might. You might be emotional about the idea of ending a relationship that you have struggled to maintain for years, or you might have serious reservations about how the process will affect you financially. These are all legitimate concerns, many of which a skilled family law attorney may be able to help you address. Before you get to dealing with the legalities of your situation, though, you might have a bigger concern: breaking the news of divorce to your children.
To children, the prospect of divorce threatens their idea of stability and forces them to accept a new normal. This is a challenging endeavor, and one with which kids struggle. Yet, by taking these steps, you might be able to ease the effects of the news of divorce while providing comfort and reassurance:
- Know what you’re going to say: You want your words to have meaning during this life-altering event, so you should know what you want to say and how to say it. Otherwise your nerves might get the best of you, causing you to stumble. This can affect the clarity you provide to your child.
- Discuss the matter as a family: Including your soon-to-be ex-spouse is critical in discussing these matters. This helps your children see that although you’re getting a divorce, when it comes to the children you are still working together. This also prevents your children from taking sides or from the other parent saying negative things about you when you aren’t there.
- Expect and be open to emotions: Children react to the news of divorce in different ways. Expect them to be angry and sad. Be prepared for your children to automatically consider how the divorce affects them and their everyday lives.
- Be receptive to questions: Your children are probably going to have a lot of questions. Be prepared to field them with acceptable answers while being honest.
- Let your children know you love and support them: Your children need to know that your love and support of them will remain constant despite the major changes ahead. Let them know that they can talk to you at anytime about anything pertaining to the divorce.
These are just some basic pointers that will hopefully make breaking the news to your children a bit easier. If you’re wondering about how to make other family law issues easier for you and your family while maximizing your chances of securing a favorable outcome, then it might be time to reach out to a family law attorney who is right for you.