Often times, one of the hardest steps of the divorce process as a parent is breaking the news to your children. The five-minute speech will change the rest of their lives, so you want to be sure to prepare well and do it right. On the bright side, there are a lot of tips out there for parents to give “the talk” successfully.
First and foremost, do not wait until the last minute to break the news of your divorce to the kids until the last minute. While you may not feel quite ready to deal with it yet, it will be best for everyone in the long run to just get it over with. When you go to sit down and talk with your children, be sure to have your speech carefully planned out. This will ensure that both you and your soon-to-be-ex spouse will not accidentally send mixed messages or confuse anybody. You also want to try your best to give the talk together. If your divorce is not an amicable one and you cannot sit down together as a family, at least agree on what you will tell the kids.
There is no need to go into a huge, stretched out explanation of what happened. Keep it brief. Especially if your children are young, it is best to keep things simple-and straightforward. There is no need to confuse them and cause more distress by including every little detail of the situation.
Once you have broken the news, sit back and let your kids express how they feel. Listen to what they have to say and encourage them to share what they are thinking. By supporting your child, you can help them grieve and adjust to the changes soon to occur. Acknowledge your child's feelings and allow them to be honest. Be sure to let them know that whatever they really feel or need to say is okay, and that you will love them no matter what.
Divorce is scary in itself. Talking to your kids about divorce can be even scarier, but you don't have to go through it alone. Contact a dedicated Illinois divorce attorney today to assist you.