Massachusetts parents who are going through divorces should recognize that their children may be just as stressed out about the situation as they are. Children frequently have a difficult time handling all of the changes to their lives that divorces might entail. Understanding how children process the situation might help parents to take approaches that might have less of a negative impact on their children.
Internalizing blame
Many younger children, think that they did something wrong that made their parents want to get divorced. Some also think that they might be able to do something to stop it from happening. Parents should sit down with their children and explain that they did not do anything to cause their divorces. They should also tell them that the children cannot do anything to prevent the divorce from happening. If the parents can sit down with their children to explain it together, it can be helpful to them.
Prioritizing relationships with both parents
Some children might naturally prefer one parent. However, they should be encouraged to visit the other parent and told that having a good relationship with him or her is important. Parents should refrain from doing anything to harm the relationships that their children have with their other parent. The parents should not involve their children in their interpersonal conflicts and should never talk badly about each other in front of them.
Going through a divorce can be difficult for nearly anyone, but parents need to recognize the importance of minimizing the stress that their children might endure. Children whose parents are going through divorces are forced to deal with many changes, and their parents should avoid doing things that could be harmful to them. People might benefit from getting help from experienced family law attorneys who might help their clients handle the process so that their children might be more well-adjusted after the divorce is over.
