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While a tumultuous time for yourself, your divorce may have an even larger impact on your children. As a parent, you want to prepare your children for anything the world may throw at them. But how do you even prepare them for your divorce? Our Coconut Creek family law attorney shares tips on how to prepare your child for your upcoming divorce.
Share the News With Your Child
One of the first things you should do is sit your children down and tell them about your divorce. It may seem uncomfortable or difficult, but you shouldn’t hide your divorce from your children because no matter their age, they will know.
To learn more about sharing the news of your divorce with your children, read our blog!
Explaining Child Custody
With your divorce, you will need to create and stick to a parenting plan for your child. Since it will be a change from living with both parents full time and a time-sharing schedule, you should discuss your child’s parenting plan with them. You don’t need to share everything involved in the plan, but at least make sure the child understands their time-sharing schedule.
When talking with your child about their parenting plan, make sure to encourage them to ask questions about their new situation. While they may know that their parents are splitting up, they might want to know why they will be going back and forth between homes or spend substantially more time at one parent’s home. By leaving the discussion open to your child, you can help them understand their parenting plan in a way they can comprehend.
Keeping An Eye Out On Their Behavior
When children undergo periods of stress or change, they may act out. Keep an eye on your child’s behavior and if you notice anything unusual or troubling, take the time to try and understand why. Behaviors you may want to look for include:
- Acting out from anger or frustration
- Isolation from others
- Change in morale
- Change in grades at school
- Inability to communicate their feelings
If you start to see any of these troubling signs in your child, you may want to start seeing a therapist with them. Beginning therapy can help your child work through their emotions about your divorce and find coping methods that can benefit them in times of change or stress.
Keeping Some of the “Old Normal”
While you may be focused on the “new normal,” keeping certain elements of your “old normal” can help your child during this transitional time. If your family had a weekend tradition or activities that you enjoyed doing together, continue them with your child. It could be getting ice cream with dad, spending the day at the beach, or even taking an outing to a zoo or museum.
This routine doesn’t have to end when your divorce finalizes; instead, you can keep it going for your children. Eliminating activities that you used to do together pre-divorce can be a stressful change for your child, and if it is reasonable to continue as they grow older, you should do so. Continuing these traditions shows your child that not everything will change, and you will always love them.
The Law Offices of Jonny Kousa, P.L. Child Custody Attorneys
Our family law attorneys at The Law Offices of Jonny Kousa, P.L. understand that your family is going through one of the largest changes in their lives. As parents ourselves, we put our focus on protecting your children’s well-being. With care and compassion, we can guide your family through this transition into the next chapter of their lives.
Are you a parent undergoing divorce and unsure how to prepare your children for this troubling time? Call us at (954) 626-8071 or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation with our family law attorney.