It’s no secret that children can have a difficult time in the face of a separation or divorce. The entire process can be stressful, confusing and incredibly emotional, no matter the age of the child. This should not come as any surprise, given that these children’s lives are often being completely turned upside down, making them feel shocked, sad, uncertain or even angry or guilty. As parents, it’s so important to keep children protected during a breakup, especially if the divorce or separation is not going smoothly. No matter what is happening on the legal end of things, parents should prioritise their children’s well-being at all times. Lapointe Family Law is a family law firm in Sydney ready to offer some insight and advice for keeping your kids feeling loved and safe in the face of separation and divorce.
Honesty Is Key
When a child’s life is about to change completely, they deserve to hear the truth (as much as is appropriate, of course). Rather than overwhelming them with long stories and euphemisms, be honest about what is going to happen. A simple “We need to break up because we can’t get along anymore,” is better than beating around the bush.
Remind Them They Are Loved
As cliche as it sounds, remind your children that they are loved, even if their parents are splitting up. Remind them that this breakup is not their fault and that both parents love them very much and will continue to love and support them through the entire breakup process.
Avoid Placing Blame
As angry as you may be with your partner, avoid openly criticising your partner or outright blaming the separation on their actions. Although it is important to be honest with your children, airing all of your grievances in front of your children, especially when hurtful things have occurred like infidelity, can make an already difficult time that much worse for a child.
Make Peaceful Co-Parenting A Priority
Peaceful co-parenting is possible, even in the face of a breakup. If you and your partner are splitting up amicably, communicating and showing a united front will likely be quite simple. If the breakup is more hostile, however, it’s worth going through mediation, family counselling or making use of a co-parenting app to help you put the children’s needs first.
Allow Your Child To Feel Their Feelings
A divorce can be traumatic for a child. Allowing them to process this new situation and feel their feelings in a safe space is crucial. Give your children the space to speak and allow them to be completely honest, even if that honesty hurts you. It may be worth looking into professional resources to help your kids through this difficult time.
Lapoint Family Law is a family law firm in Sydney that keeps you and your family’s emotional health and wellbeing front of mind through any legal matter. By partnering with wellness professionals like psychologists, counsellors, life coaches and more, our clients are more likely to make it through difficulties like divorce and separation stronger and ready to start afresh.
To find out more about our services, visit our website.