As a parent who has a goal of making divorce as comfortable as possible for your child, you may have started looking into others’ stories or tips for how to help your child get through this. The trouble with that is that there’s a high likelihood that you’ve seen some of the worst outcomes and worst situations that could take place.
Looking at the cases that have gone wrong and the children who have suffered is hurtful, and it can make it hard for you to deal with the situation. Fortunately, most children do adapt to divorce well, and, as long as you’re trying to reduce conflict, grow up with good coping skills.
There are some things you can do to help now, though. For example, some things that can help children while their parents are divorcing include:
- Keeping regular schedules and routines
- Focusing on positive, not negative, interactions with your spouse and children
- Avoiding conflict in the home
- Speaking with your child about what to expect as the divorce moves forward
- Discussing how the divorce may affect your home life or living situation
- Considering child therapy to help your child have an outlet to express themselves
Children aren’t alone when they’re dealing with the situation. You’re there to guide them and to make decisions for their health. If you truly believe that your child is not adjusting well, then you may want to look into speaking with a family counselor or setting up therapy for your child.
Most children do adapt. As a parent, you need to do your best to help them learn to cope.