It can be difficult for children to hear that their parents are getting a divorce. However, it’s important that you are upfront with your kids about the changes that they’ll likely experience if you choose to leave your spouse. Of course, the details of any conversation that you have with your children will depend largely on their age and overall maturity level. If you opt to resolve a divorce through litigation, you should also prepare them for the possibility of spending time in a Texas courtroom.
Avoid badmouthing the other parent
Regardless of how old your kids are, you should never blame the divorce on their other parent. Instead, you should simply state that the relationship didn’t work out and that it will have no impact on your ability to be a good parent moving forward. Furthermore, you should stress that your child’s other parent is still a good person who is deserving of your child’s continued love and respect.
You aren’t obligated to answer all of your children’s questions
Your children will undoubtedly have questions about the end of your marriage. However, you don’t have to provide details that you considered to be personal or inappropriate to reveal to a minor. For instance, there is generally no need to reveal that the marriage ended because you cheated on your spouse or because your spouse won’t seek help for a substance abuse problem.
Do your best to present a united front
It is a good idea to include the other parent in the discussion about your impending divorce. This will make it easier to convince your children that the relationship is truly over and that they need to accept that big changes are about to occur.
If you are planning to end your marriage, it’s important to remember to keep your children’s interests at heart throughout the divorce process. You can do this by keeping the lines of communication open at all times in an effort to keep tabs on their mental health.