Informing your kids their parents are getting a divorce may be the most difficult thing you will ever do. You should be prepared for anything, particularly emotional reactions and tough questions.
Here are four common questions your kids may ask:
1. Why is it happening?
Your kids may want to know why you have decided to get a divorce. While you should be honest, it may not be best to overshare. You want to provide your children with age-appropriate answers without blaming either party.
An answer like, “We are no longer happy together and have decided to go our separate ways to be happy” should work.
2. Where will we live?
Your children may be concerned about the living arrangement. Accordingly, they may want to know who they will live with. If you don’t have a parenting arrangement yet, request them to be patient, as you will have answers soon. If you have agreed on where they will live and how they will visit the other home, you can share the plan with them.
3. Do you still love each other?
Your children may accept the divorce. However, they may want to know if their parents still love each other to maintain a sense of family. If your kids ask this, you can tell them that you and the other parent will always be their family. That hasn’t and won’t change.
4. Will you get back together?
This is another question that kids ask to maintain a sense of family. Answering this question may be challenging. Even though you may not want to disappoint them, you should be honest. Let them know you and the other parent won’t get back together but will co-parent to raise them comfortably.
Going through a divorce with children can be challenging. Consider getting legal guidance to protect your parental rights.
