If you and your spouse have decided to end your marriage, your priority must be helping your child adjust to the reality of divorce.
Your child may have considerable anxiety about the post-divorce future, but you can help smooth the way by keeping his best interests in mind.
Encourage questions
You may have to reassure your child that he did not cause the divorce and that you and the other parent love him just as much as ever. He will want answers to basic questions, such as where he will live and whether he will have to change schools. Prepare to answer questions of all kinds and encourage your child to share his feelings.
Show respect for the other parent
The way you and your soon-to-be-ex react to and about one another will be important following the divorce. Do not criticize or speak badly about the other parent in front of your child. Never force your child to choose sides.
Continue the routine
Children thrive on routine. You may feel you can bend the rules a little after the divorce but refrain from altering the consistency of daily life. If your child is now living between two households, similar rules should prevail in both homes.
Keep lines of communication open
You may be divorced, but you and your former spouse will always be parents. Make the best interests of your child your top priority and keep the lines of respectful communication open. Remember that your child needs both of you and the comfort of loving relationships in a post-divorce world.
