Dealing with divorce is already stressful enough as a childless couple. Those with children have a whole different layer of stress to worry about on top of things like alimony and property division.
One of your biggest concerns may revolve around breaking the news of divorce in the first place. After this hurdle, the biggest elephant in the room gets addressed and the rest is often easier. But how do you make that first step?
Understanding your child will hurt
Psychology Today discusses the importance of how you handle discussing divorce. Many parents spend so much time looking for a “perfect” way to break the news of divorce. They want to cause their child as little damage as possible. Some even want to avoid hurting their child entirely.
But the fact of the matter is, divorce will hurt your child regardless of how you approach it. You are upsetting everything they know about their current, stable life and introducing an unknown future that will scare almost anyone. Instead of trying to soften the reality of the situation or even hide it, you should instead focus on supporting your child through the change.
Cooperating with your co-parent
One of the best ways to do this is by working together with your co-parent. This provides a sense of normalcy in a very uncertain time. On top of that, it shows your child that you can set aside your differences to work toward helping them. This can reassure them that no matter how things change, they can still rely on you.
Providing them with love and a sense of stability is the best thing you can do for them. It will help them take necessary steps toward understanding and acceptance.