Going through a divorce is one of the most stressful situations you will likely experience in your domestic life. This is even more true if you are a parent of a young child who might not necessarily understand what is happening.
As you work through this situation, your first questions likely revolve around breaking the news. In particular, how should you time it? And is there a right way to bring something like this up?
Give your child the time they need
Psychology Today discusses the inevitable day you will have to tell your child about your divorce. The first piece of advice is to not wait long before telling them. Understandably, this is many people’s first reaction. After all, you want to give your child the most time possible to enjoy life as “normal”. But what they need is time to process the changes they are about to face. Thus, this time is what you should give them.
Prepare for your conversation in advance
It is never “too early” to tell your child about divorce, accordingly. But experts still suggest you wait until you have talked things through with your co-parent. It is important for you to both be on the same page, for your child’s mental well-being. You do not want to argue about semantics in front of them at this crucial time.
Not only should you have the overall details of your divorce ironed out, but you should also have an idea of how you will present the information to your child. In other words, you must balance your own preparation against the time you have. Do not put it off indefinitely, but take the time you need to prepare.