Whenever a major life event happens, children may struggle to adapt. This is especially true when something as impactful as divorce happens in your family.
Learning more about how to prevent further stress can help you all to make the best decisions possible for your children.
Notice warning signs
According to Psychology Today, many parents may not know what to look for when it comes to signs of distress in children and young teens. Issues in school increased temper tantrums and changed eating habits are all common signs of stress.
You may even notice a shift in your child’s social activity or more instances of him or her feeling nervous and unfocused.
Discuss the underlying feelings
While you may feel pressured to keep up a front that everything is fine, your child may benefit more from a direct approach. Find a safe and quiet time to sit down and discuss how he or she feels can allow for a less stressful divorce process.
Reassure him or her that this divorce did not happen because of anything he or she did. Children may sometimes blame themselves and feel guilty for no reason. Being honest and direct while still staying firm with boundaries, like how late bedtime is, can give your children structure.
Plan time for fun
Having scheduled outings and days together is an important part of maintaining a positive bond between you both. You can reassure your children that even though your place of residence or other factors may change, your love will stay the same.
This bond often increases resiliency for children, which can help prevent long-term stress.