Has the time come to tell your children about the divorce?

 Posted on December 20, 2019 in Divorce

Over the years, you and your family have likely had many discussions about issues that could affect the family as a whole. While some of them may have been joyous, such as planning the year's vacation, others may not have been so uplifting, such as having to talk about disciplinary action after one or more of your children broke the rules. Whatever the case, however, you have been open with your children.

Still, the idea of telling them that you and their other parent are getting a divorce may have you wanting to hold back. After all, this decision will change their lives, and you certainly do not want them to feel as if any of it was their fault. As a result, you want to tell them in the best way possible.

You know your family

Because you know your family best, you may have an idea about how each of your children will react to the news. You certainly want to be prepared for any and all reactions, so it may be helpful to have an idea of what you will say beforehand. Writing down what you want to say and practicing it could be helpful, and anticipating any questions the kids may have can also be beneficial. Of course, it will likely be best if you and the other parent can tell the kids together.

Breaking the news together may not be your ideal situation, especially if a fractured relationship has led to the divorce, but this approach may be ideal for your children. Having both parents in the same room to answer their questions may allow the children to feel more at ease about the situation.

Questions and answers

Your children may ask why the divorce is happening, and while you should certainly give them an answer, they do not have to know all of the details, especially if the marriage is not ending on good terms. It may also be helpful to remember that your kids may not ask any questions or want to talk about the news immediately at all. Some may need time to process the information before discussing it.

You love your children, and in addition to the concerns you have about telling them about the divorce, you undoubtedly have concerns about the best child custody arrangements for them. Deciding on custody terms can be difficult, but knowing your rights and options under Texas family law may be useful to you.