Some children know that the situation between their parents isn’t great and they might be preparing for the end of the marriage. When they don’t realize that there are problems in the marriage, the news of a divorce can come as a shock. Helping your children through the situation is a priority.
Children will handle this new differently, so you will need to tailor your response to what they’re experiencing. They might go through a range of emotions that includes anger and worry. These stong feelings can be scary for the child, especially younger kids who haven’t gone through anything like this before.
Even if things aren’t the best between you and your ex, you can still take steps to work as a team for the kids. Presenting a united parenting front is beneficial because the children can see that they will still have both parents around. Additionally, it reduces the chance that they will try to play you and your ex against each other.
When you’re discussing parenting matters with your ex, do it privately. The children might feel stressed if they are privy to contentious discussions or conversations that focus on legal matters. Make sure that you don’t speak negatively of your ex when the kids are around because they don’t need to hear negativity about either parent.
Working out the parenting plan must also be done. The faster you’re able to get this accomplished, the sooner your children can begin to adjust to their new way of life. Setting the plan based on what they need now is important because modifications enable you to change the terms later.
