Why are you getting a divorce? What did I do? Can we still live together? Who will I live with? Will I transfer schools?
These are a few examples of the questions to expect from your child when you inform them about your divorce. How you answer these questions is crucial.
Below are three tips to help you.
Be honest
This tip can be tricky. While you should be honest, you want to provide your child with age-appropriate information. If they ask about the reason behind the divorce, you can tell them you and their other parent believe it’s better to go your separate ways.
Further, if you don’t have an answer to a question, let them know. For example, if they ask where they will live before you and the other parent make living arrangements, tell them you will provide adequate information later.
Additionally, even though you need to provide appropriate answers, giving your child false hope may be unwise. If they ask if you and the other parent will get back together, tell them the truth, “I’m sorry, but now we are not getting back together.” This can help them cope with their new life better.
Do not bad mouth your soon-to-be ex-spouse
If the other parent hurt you or their actions led to the divorce, your child doesn’t need to know this. You can agree on what to tell your child to avoid unintentionally bad-mouthing each other.
Avoid flooding your kid with information
You don’t want to make your child feel overwhelmed after the divorce conversation. When answering their questions, be careful with the amount of information you provide. You don’t need to go into details about each matter.
If your divorce involves a child, learn more about your parental rights and how you can protect their happiness.