Dealing with divorce is a harrowing task for anyone. Unfortunately, parents have the further burden of breaking the news to their children. You might want to put this off, but experts generally agree you should broach the topic sooner rather than later.
So how can you do this? Is there a way to go about it that minimizes damage?
Cooperation is key
Psychology Today discusses how to break news of divorce to your child. The most important thing is to ensure that your child has plenty of support and love throughout the process. You want to ensure they know that they can still depend on you and your co-parent even after the split. You can do this in several ways.
First, always cooperate with your co-parent. This does not mean you can never argue. It simply means keeping your arguments away from your child. Collaborate to bring your child informative conversations. Do not speak over each other. Do not snipe at each other or gripe about each other. Do not hold one-on-one conversations between your child and just one parent. Do everything together to create a unified front.
Prepare in advance
Next, prepare yourself for any reaction and prepare yourself to accept all outcomes. You can guess how your child might react based on what you know of them. You can also tailor your approach based on advice you read from divorce experts or peers who have gone through the same thing. But you cannot fully predict how your child will react. Understand that they need to cope and process at their own pace. Give them the support they need throughout it, and you will all make it through.
