After deciding to get a divorce, one of the hardest things in the aftermath is deciding how you will tell your child about it. After all, they will also suffer from the effects of said divorce. You need to let them in on it, even if it may hurt.
Is there any way that you can mitigate the potential damage, though? Can you take any actions to ease the difficulties that may follow?
Time to process
As stated by Psychology Today, it is generally better to tell your child about upcoming divorce sooner rather than later. This is the first piece of advice: focus on timing. There is no “right” time to break news of divorce. By the same token, there are certainly times that work worse than others. For example, you should not wait too long to break the news. Your child needs time and space to process, after all. You want to give them as much as possible so they can work through their potential hang-ups and ask the questions they need to ask.
Make a plan
You should also not rush into a discussion without a plan. You need to be on the same page with your co-parent, which means potentially waiting until you have said plan worked out before you make a move to talk about it.
Cooperation is also one of the best ways to ensure that the transition goes smoothly. You will only create extra friction by butting heads with your co-parent. No matter how “in the right” you feel, you should prioritize your child’s mental and emotional well-being first. This means cooperating above all else, and letting your child know you both love and support them.
