Depending on the age of your children, there’s a good chance they’ll have a variety of questions if you decide to divorce your spouse. Although this decision will impact your children in many ways, there are things you can do to ensure their stability in the days, weeks and months to come.
Here are five of the most common questions children ask about divorce:
- Why is this happening? It’s a difficult question to answer, but being open and honest is the best policy (within reason, of course).
- Can we still live in the same house? Your children may not understand that divorce means that you and your ex-spouse will no longer live together. It’s something to explain early on.
- What will happen to me? Even if many things are changing, such as moving your children into a new home, you must let them know that both parents will forever love them.
- Did I do something wrong? Children often place the blame on themselves. Make it clear during the first conversation that they are not responsible for your divorce in any way.
- What happens next? You don’t want your children to worry about the future. You need to lay out the next steps, giving them a clear idea of what to expect.
You should expect your children to ask these questions about divorce, among many others. As long as you answer every question, no matter how difficult it may be, you can feel good about putting everything in the past as quickly as possible.
Once you know your children are on the right track, it’s easier to focus on the legal process surrounding your divorce.
