It’s true that no one ties the knot with a plan to break it up later on, but sometimes, things don’t work out between the couple as expected. In such situations, divorce seems to be the best way to part ways and turn over a new leaf. This is often an emotionally difficult event for the couple but it’s even more difficult for their children as they watch their parents split up.

Studies show that most children in this situation suffer from a sense of loss and that their feelings can manifest in a number of ways, depending of their age and personality; and how they see their parents handle the divorce. Research also tells us that young children often face a lapse in sleeping and throw more tantrums to seek attention in such scenarios.

For pre-schoolers, divorce is no less than their world falling apart. However, for children between 9 and 13, they feel betrayed which is visible from their aggressive and rebellious behavior while teenagers show signs of depression, with their eating and sleeping habits often changing over time and some of them even rebelling against the system.

These effects however, mostly result from the feeling of uncertainty or fear of the unknown. They wonder what is going to happen after the divorce.

Therefore, it’s extremely important for divorcing parents to understand how their divorce is likely to impact their children and take appropriate steps to make the process smooth and psychologically less painful for their kids.

Best Ways to Help Your Children Cope With Divorce
Here are some of the best ways to make the process smoother for children:

1. Reassure Them Repeatedly That You Love Them
Watching parents split up and the idea of moving to a different home and different school and the fact that they will not be able to see or be with both of their parents again is difficult for children to bear. To make the process easy for them, it’s important that you reassure them repeatedly that you love them and that they will always get to see both of their parents from time to time, even if not together.

2. Talk About It with Them – Provide Them Practical Information
Sit with your children and discuss the situation instead of hiding it. You don’t have to burden them with details but it’s good to keep them informed and provide them with practical information so that they can stop anticipating it, such as who will drive them to school and who will they live with.

3. Let Them Share Their Feelings
Allow children to discuss and reciprocate their feelings. Lend an ear and let them vent out what they feel and think. This will help them lose some of the anger and fear they have about the divorce and also show that you are interested in their views.

4. Consult a Psychologist
Divorcing couples and their children can benefit greatly by speaking to a psychologist. This helps in dealing with the emotions in a better manner and they can then adjust to the changes easily.
Thinking that divorce may be a traumatic experience for children, many couples tend to continue living together in high conflict marriages instead of splitting up, which is not always a wise decision. Divorce may be a difficult time for the entire family but it sometimes may be the best way for the couple to live a happy life. However, how you deal with the situation and work with children can help them transition and adjust to the change. Contact us today if you need legal assistance and help in dealing with cases related to family law, including child custody claims and more.