Divorce that includes children can be much that much more stressful. One of the hardest things to do throughout the process of a divorce is breaking the news to your children. In many cases, kids fear that they will lose one of their parents or that their parents will abandon them altogether. It is important to assure them that you are not going anywhere.
For the talk to be efficient, it is best that you and your spouse can come together and plan what you are going to say. You do not want to argue or contradict each other when talking to the kids, so agree on a script beforehand. Even if your divorce is not completely amicable and you and your spouse must give separate talks, try and touch base with each other before talking to the kids so that you both send the same message to your children.
Your children may have trouble coming to terms with this dramatic change. In some cases, it can be as simple as extra attention and a little cuddling to turn their negative attitudes around. But it’s not always that easy. It may be that you need to turn to a school counselor or mental health professional to work with your child and help them cope.
It’s likely that upon hearing the news, your child’s behavior will change. Give a heads-up to any adults they interact with regularly, like a teacher or babysitter, so that they are prepared for these potential changes and can react appropriately.
Divorce and children is a stressful combination. If you are unsure how to go about telling your kids about divorce, do not be afraid to contact an Illinois family law attorney to assist you and help you prepare for breaking the news.
