Parents: In regard to the parent-child relationship, it is important to maintain an age-appropriate, healthy, positive approach.
When parents are in the process of divorce, how much should they tell their children about the divorce or the problems with the other spouse?
It is important to be honest, frank, and direct when discussing the divorce with the children, but in very general terms, disclosing only what is necessary for them to understand, such as, for example, the following:
- The parents have carefully made the decision to live in separate households because they are not happy living together and think it is in the family’s best interest to develop and/or continue a good relationship apart;
- Both parents love the children so very much. Nothing will ever change the love that each parent feels for his/her children. This divorce has absolutely nothing to do with the children; there is nothing that they have done to cause this situation and nothing they could do differently to change this situation in any way. The divorce is in NO way the fault of the children; it is strictly between the adults.
- Mommy and Daddy are going to work together to keep the children’s lives consistent, stable, and happy.
- THAT’S IT!! THAT’S ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW… PERIOD.