How to Help Your Children Cope With Divorce
Going through a divorce is never easy for a couple. However, a couple with children presents an entirely different set of challenges.
Divorce is a time when emotions run high and your children may find themselves wondering how they’ll come out of this process on the other side. Sometimes pressing legal matters accidentally lead to parents failing to see the signs that their children aren’t coping well during the divorce.
Don’t let the signs slip by. Get proactive and remember to put your children first at this time. Here are some ways you can help your children cope with the difficulty of your separation.
Encourage Open Conversation
Once the divorce process starts, open conversation should become the norm between you and your children. There are going to be difficult conversations to have, so let them know you’re available to listen and talk about any concerns they may have to help children cope with divorce.
Legitimize Their Feelings
This invitation to honest conversation shows that their feelings coping with the divorce matter to you. It’s a huge step towards dealing with divorce in a healthy manner for both you and your children.
When their emotions run high, let them know you see this. Start the conversation with a phrase like, “I know you’re upset…” then lead into asking them why and legitimize their feelings. Let them unload their emotions and only then, should you step in with thoughts on how to help your children cope with divorce
Don’t Bad Mouth the Other Parent
Although you may be upset with your ex, it’s unlikely that your children have reason to pick sides. Your children learn from how you cope during your divorce, and if they see you talking badly about their other parent, your family may face even further difficulties post-divorce.
You may admit when you’re upset or frustrated with a situation, but try to emphasize that it’s the situation that you’re upset about. This allows you to express your emotions while not completely tarnishing the way your children view your ex-spouse.
Keep Yourself Healthy
Child custody and other negotiations put a toll on how stress impacts your life.This can lead to angry outbursts and other unhealthy behavior that will impact your children’s view of the situation.
Take care of yourself and de-stress with exercise, eating healthy, and engaging in family activities with your children when you aren’t focused on the details of your divorce. Taking action to keep stress away ensures that your children get the right attention during this difficult time in your family’s lives.
Focus on Children
At Nilsson Legal Group, we believe that you need to focus on helping your children cope with divorce while we put our expertise into the actual legal work. Divorce is never easy, but our family law attorneys can help lighten the stress of the situation. Trust our Fort Worth divorce lawyers to craft a case that gets you and your children the best possible outcome as you move forward in your lives. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.