This article from Helpguide.org provides tons of advice for parents on helping their kids to cope with separation and divorce. The article starts with this sobering advice for parents:
For children, divorce can be stressful, sad, and confusing. At any age, kids may feel uncertain or angry at the prospect of mom and dad splitting up. As a parent, you can make the process and its effects less painful for your children. Helping your kids cope with divorce means providing stability in your home and attending to your children’s needs with a reassuring, positive attitude. It won’t be a seamless process, but these tips can help your children cope.
The article starts with advice about how to tell the kids if you have decided to get a divorce. (For more information see our thorough treatment of the subject at How Should I Tell My Kids We’re Getting a Divorce?). From there the article covers some major things parents can do to help kids following a divorce. They include:
- Listen and Reassure
- Providing Stability and Structure
- Taking Care of Yourself
- Working With Your Ex
- Knowing When to Seek Help
Obviously, one article can’t tell you everything you need to know in order to help your child with this major event their life, but this is a solid and thorough article packed full of useful advice.
