While you may believe a divorce is necessary for your future, your children may not understand. The stress they feel due to the divorce depends mainly on how you and their other parent handle things.
Keeping your children’s welfare at the forefront while divorcing may prove to benefit them and you in the long run. Take a closer look at some of the things you may want to try to help deescalate divorce stress on your children.
Leave your feelings out of decisions
Regardless of how you feel about your spouse, you need to remain focused on the relationship with your children. Sharing your negative feelings with them may cause them to feel pulled in different directions and lead to a strained relationship. Focus on fostering a positive relationship between them and their other parent. Keeping your opinions about your ex away from your children allows a healthy relationship to flourish.
Answer questions appropriately
The age of your children may determine the type of information they can handle. Older kids, such as teens, may already possess quite a bit of insight into your divorce. Likewise, younger children may have an idea but no specifics. The way you answer questions at the onset of divorce and continuing will go a long way to making them feel secure. Set boundaries and address their concerns in an age-appropriate manner. Refrain from slipping into a negative mindset and oversharing.
The need to please parents, especially during a divorce, may create undue stress for your children. Doing everything you can to remain neutral in their presence and positive about the other parent may prove beneficial for the new family unit.
