Ending a marriage is stressful for everyone. One of the best ways to ease that stress for the spouses involved is to work with an experienced family law attorney in Tampa. They’ll help you navigate the legal system and protect your most valuable assets – including you children.
But one thing they can’t do is tell your children about your divorce. This is a task you and/or your former spouse will need to do and it’s a very difficult conversation to have.
Here are a few tips:
1. Keep the Conversation Simple
Don’t try to explain all the complicated details of your divorce to your kids. Just let them know that you and your spouse have decided to go your separate ways.
Also avoid saying anything disparaging about your child’s other parent. Many divorcing spouses have complicated feelings that are often negative. You’ll want to avoid sharing these feelings with your child.
2. Reassure Your Child
Let your kids know that they are still loved, and that both of their parents will still be involved in their lives. And then follow up on this. Avoid the temptation to use your kids against your spouse.
Unless there are issues of abuse, which you’ll discuss with your family law attorney, every parent should strive to protect their child’s relationships with both parents.
3. Prepare for Questions
If you’ve been a parent for any length of time, you know a big part of your job is fielding a wide variety of questions about everything.
Your kids are likely to have a lot of questions about what this means for their lives. Be patient and answer their questions as best you can.
Divorce is a difficult process made easier by working with an experienced family law attorney. But that only gets you so far. Telling your kids about your divorce is all on you. But if you keep these tips in mind, it can help make the conversation go more smoothly.
