5 Ways to Help Your Child Cope with Divorce
5 Ways to Help Your Child Cope with Divorce
Divorces are tough on everyone involved. They might be the most difficult break-up we’ve ever experienced, and that’s hard enough when we’re on our own, ending a childless marriage. But if we have a child together? That’s even harder to deal with because we have to take care of our child too.
Divorces are tough on children, and as their parents, it’s our job to make sure our kids come out of it okay. We don’t want this to affect them for the rest of their lives. We want them to be able to move past this and grow up healthy.
It can be tricky to help our child navigate a divorce, but it’s not impossible. Here are five ways we can help them during these difficult times.
1. Be Honest
It’s tempting to want to sugarcoat what happened. It’s true that our child is still young. But it’s possible to be honest with them while keeping the conversation age appropriate. We might think that will make things easier for our children, but it may be harmful in the long run.
We also need to make sure our child knows none of this is their fault. It’s common for children to blame themselves, so it falls on us to reassure them. We have to tell them that’s not the case. We must also reassure them that we still love them and that, while this is hard on all of us, we’ll all be okay in the end.
2. Let Them Express Their Feelings
Children need to be able to express their emotions. If they can’t do that, then they’ll never learn how to process them in a healthy way. As parents, it falls on us to listen to them when they need to talk.
This won’t be a one-time conversation. We’ll have to sit there and listen to them be angry, resentful, or sad. It might be difficult for us at first. After all, we just want our child to be okay. But they will be, in the end. Eventually, these emotions will fade. But we have to sit with them and let them express themselves first.
3. Keep up the Routine
Divorces are difficult. And what children need most during difficult times is stability. That’s why it’s important to create a routine and stick to it. It might be tempting to be more relaxed with them and let things slide. But the truth is, having a reliable structure to fall back on helps our kids feel safe and at peace. That’s why routines are so important, and that’s why we need to be able to provide them with that.
4. Work on Co-Parenting
If we agree to co-parent our child with our former partner, then we must do it correctly. We need to be able to keep our child out of any discussions. Instead of fighting with our co-parent in front of them or using them to send messages back and forth, we should be able to deal with any issues privately. We should encourage our children to spend time with their other parent, no matter how much it pains us. Because this isn’t about us: it’s about our child, and they deserve the best life we can provide.
5. Seek Counseling
Divorces are difficult for all of us, not just our children. It can be hard to support our child while we go through the hardships of a divorce. That’s what counseling is for. We can provide our child with the help they need while still taking care of ourselves. It only takes one appointment to start, and we’ll make sure our child gets the help they need. Call Fox Child and Family Therapy today at 913-229-5691 and let’s schedule a time to talk.