Telling your child you are getting a divorce can trigger different emotions in both of you. They may be concerned about how this major change will affect their life, and you may struggle to watch them go through different emotions.
Nonetheless, it’s crucial to talk to your child if you have decided to dissolve the marriage. They should learn about it from you. Here are two tips to consider employing to have a more manageable conversation:
Plan what to say
If possible, you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse should be present when telling your child you are getting divorced to deliver a unified message. However, whether or not you hold the conversation together, you need to plan what to say.
Sitting down with your child without knowing what to tell them can result in you overwhelming them with details they don’t need to know or not providing adequate information, which can lead to confusion.
Before the discussion, write down what you are going to say, tailoring the message to your child’s age. Your message should inform them that you have decided to go your separate ways, the decision was made between you and the other parent (they are not to blame in any way) and you will continue to love them.
Choose the right time
Choose an appropriate time to have the conversation with your child. It can be suitable to talk to them when there are no distractions – when you have enough time to answer their questions. Thus, it can be unwise to start the conversation when they are about to leave for school or you are heading to work. Talking to them on the weekend can be beneficial.
Going through a divorce with a child can be different. Get more information about the factors involved in your situation to make decisions in your child’s best interest.