If you are in the midst of a divorce that involves children, you may be wondering what you can do to ensure the entire process runs as smoothly as possible for everyone involved.
It can be difficult to truthfully and accurately explain the minute details of your divorce to your child, especially if they are young or nearing adolescence, but by doing so in a way that enables them to understand everything they need to understand, you can prevent any awkward or problematic conversations down the line.
To familiarise yourself with tips to help your child through your divorce, continue reading.
Don’t Gloss Over the Truth
If your child is old and mature enough to understand that you are in the midst of a divorce, they are unlikely to believe or appreciate you if you gloss over the truth.
It can be tempting to try your best to protect them from the reality of a divorce but if they end up uncovering additional information down the line or from an external source, they may become angry or resent you for failing to tell them the truth at the time.
This also includes making excuses for your ex-spouse with this usually only resulting in your child becoming unable to express themselves during what is bound to also be a highly anxious and stressful time for them.
Ensure Arrangements are in Place
If you are navigating a divorce with a child involved, regardless of how old they are, you must ensure arrangements are in place from the very onset.
This includes establishing an emergency backup plan in the event that your ex-spouse is a no-show during pre-planned events or activities and getting to grips with a free child maintenance calculator to calculate how much child maintenance your ex-spouse will be realistically expected to pay.
It might sound like a relatively complex and time-consuming procedure but by ensuring the right arrangements are in place, you can streamline the entire process for everyone involved.
Encourage your Child to Communicate
If your child has remained largely quiet or noticeably withdrawn during your ongoing divorce proceedings thus far, encouraging them to communicate may be the push they need to finally speak freely and, as a result, seek reassurance, advice, or guidance from you as one of the central participants involved in the entire process.
This can provide them with a much-needed sense of relief, reinforcement, and support and remind them that you are always available when they are ready and willing to discuss any questions, queries, or comments they may have regarding you and your ex-spouse’s divorce.
Support a Calm and Peaceful Transition
If you are worried that your child may react angrily, suffer academically, or lash out as your ongoing divorce proceedings continue, you must try your hardest to support a calm and peaceful transition regardless of what the underlying reason for the divorce is.
This might sound like an obvious point but even if you manage to refrain from outwardly arguing or raising your voice, children are adept at detecting mounting tension, anxiety, and friction and may react in a hostile or aggressive manner as a means of protecting themselves from any chaos that may potentially erupt down the line.
If you are determined to help your child through your divorce, there are a number of helpful tips you must familiarise yourself with ahead of time.
To ensure this is the case, don’t gloss over the truth, ensure arrangements are in place, encourage your child to communicate, and, last but certainly not least, support a calm and peaceful transition.
