When getting ready to break ties with your significant other, your child will likely remain at the forefront of your mind the entire time. After all, you want what is best for your child as the parent, but you understand that divorce will put them through a stressful, life-changing situation.
Is there any way that you can break the news of divorce in a way that mitigates the damage to a degree? Fortunately, there are several tactics you can try.
Broaching the topic
Psychology Today breaks down some of the ways you can talk to your child about divorce. First, try not to hide the reality of the situation. Children are perceptive and can tell when things have changed with their loved ones. If you attempt to put off telling them so they can enjoy stress-free days for just a little longer, they will likely begin to worry anyway as they pick up on something amiss.
Next, when you explain divorce, do not try to sugar-coat it. You should not explain every nitty-gritty detail of the split to your children, but you should not pretend everything is perfect and fine in a situation where that is obviously not the case.
Do not blame your co-parent
At the same time, you do not want to shove the blame on your co-parent, either. Not only is this damaging to your children, but it can get used against you in court as your co-parent may argue that you have attempted to commit parental alienation against them.
Finally, speak to your child’s maturity and age level. Not every child can understand things to the same level, so you need to tailor your approach to your child’s understanding of things.