The time period before, during and directly after a divorce can be a time of great upheaval for everyone involved. Pennsylvania parents may be dealing with an overabundance of change in their own lives during a divorce. The changes that impact children can be massive and may call for special attention, as children may interpret divorce differently than the adults involved.
There are many tips regarding the best way to minimize the impact of divorce on children. One vital tip is for parents to understand that kids feel many emotions about the situation just as adults do. If a parent stresses that there is no wrong way to feel or wrong time to feel it, children may feel better about the onslaught of emotions. Help from those who have dealt with divorce and how it affects children may make the transition smoother.
Another tip is for parents to both express that, while their relationship with each other is changing, the relationship with children is not changing, essentially. While parents may do more or less activities with children or spend more or less time with those children, that is not a reflection of who loves a child more. This may necessitate parents working together to keep children’s schedules the same, as much as possible.
When parents work together to approach divorce issues with their children, they may help make the process more amicable overall. Pennsylvania parents may have to work together to address issues, find professionals to help children or agree on terms of visitation and activities to present a united front and help children deal with divorce. Keeping parental relationships separate from other aspects of a divorce may be difficult but may also be the best plan for the children involved.
Source: The Huffington Post, “10 Things All Divorcing Parents Should Say To Their Kids“, Sophie Rosen, April 4, 2014
