How to Help Children Struggling With a Divorce

How to Help Children Struggling With a Divorce

If you are wondering how to help your child cope with your divorce, Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP is here to help. Keep reading to learn more about different strategies for helping your child cope with divorce, what you can do to make the process easier, and how Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP can help.

  1. Be Mindful That Your Child’s Life is Drastically Changing Too
  2. While divorce is painful and likely a contentious time for you, it is important to remember that you are not the only one affected. Your child’s life is drastically changing as well and they might struggle to process what is happening. Be mindful of that and don’t lash out at them.

  3. Do Not Bad-Mouth Their Other Parent In Front of Them
  4. You might be going through a heated divorce and feel a lot of disdain and resentment towards your ex, but it is important that you keep those feelings and thoughts away from your child. No matter your disagreements with your ex, this is your child’s other parent and they shouldn’t be dragged into the middle of your arguments. Refrain from calling the other parent names in front of your child and especially refrain from snide comments that degrade the other parent in front of them. This can be a confusing time for your child and the last thing they need is to become a pawn in your divorce.

  5. Monitor Their Activities
  6. You might think your child is coping well, but there is no telling how they are taking the divorce. That is why you should monitor their activities more closely than you might have in the past. This is especially true for older children that might be out with their friends. Children turn to different coping mechanisms and you want to make sure that they aren’t trading helpful coping mechanisms for dangerous ones like drugs and alcohol.

  7. Encourage Open Two-Way Communication
  8. It is extremely important to encourage open communication with your child. Your child needs to know that it is okay to express their feelings and openly communicate their thoughts with you and their other parent. If verbal communication is difficult for them, consider suggesting a letter or email.

Get the legal aspects of your divorce settled with help from Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP.

At Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP, we know that going through a divorce with children can be especially difficult. It is important to try not to drag it out for the sake of the children and that is where we come into the picture. With over 30 years of experience dealing with divorces and we can help you through the process. Give us a call today at 909-482-1422 to schedule your initial consultation.

To learn more about the reliable and quality family law services that we offer, visit us on the web at Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP.