Children who have lived their entire lives with both parents may find it shocking to suddenly find out that they’re going to have to deal with having divorced parents. If you and your ex determine that you need to go through the divorce process, you’re going to have to tell your children.
It’s critical that you think about how you can relay the information about the divorce to your children. This may give you the starting point you need as you plan how to tell them that you are divorcing.
Plan a time to tell them together
If you and your ex can make it happen, try to tell the children together. This may help them to understand that both of their parents are going to continue to raise them as a team. By telling the children together, you’re also ensuring that both parents know exactly what is said about the split.
The time you choose to tell them should be one when you can take your time talking to them. You also need to think about where you’re going to tell them because you need it to be private.
Be realistic about matters
You must ensure that you aren’t setting unrealistic expectations for the children. Talk to them clearly and make sure that you aren’t providing outdated or incorrect information. They may have questions about what’s going to happen and how life will change. Answer these truthfully and in an age-appropriate manner.
It may be easier to talk to the children after you have the parenting plan set. This can be complex because each parent may have opposing ideas. Working with someone familiar with these matters may be beneficial