Learning that their parents are going through a divorce is one of the most challenging things that can happen to a child. Both parents are going to have to think about ways that they can emotionally support their children during this major life transition.
One of the ways to do this from the start is to tell the children together so they can see that both parents are committed to raising them as a team. This also gives the children a chance to ask their parents questions, so be prepared to answer those.
Give the children a safe space to talk.
Your children may need to discuss their feelings, but they might feel like they can’t be honest about them with either parent. Providing them with a safe space to talk to you about what’s going on can help them to feel more at ease.
Share age-appropriate feelings
You may be able to help your children learn about appropriate expression of feelings by sharing your feelings in an age-appropriate manner. This may help them to see that there’s nothing wrong with having a range of emotions. In some cases, they may learn about what emotions mean by talking to you when you share your feelings.
It may be beneficial for you to get the parenting plan set as quickly as possible. This enables both parents to find ways to adjust to the new way of life. Seeing their parents move through the adjustment may make it easier for the children to adjust.