Your divorce will affect your child. There is no escaping that fact. All you can do is take measures to protect them. While every child is likely to experience some negative effects, thoughtful parenting approaches can reduce the harm done and help your child cope better.
For example, agreeing to only discuss certain matters once the child is safely asleep in bed or at school can prevent them from witnessing any drama between you and your co-parent. Even if you can both stay calm, there are some things your child just should not hear. You might even want to send your child off to a family member’s for a few days to give you and your spouse to have those difficult discussions in privacy if your decision to divorce was recent and your tension levels are still particularly high.
Kids can come up with some strange theories, or at least theories that seem strange to their parents. One that is common during a divorce is that they somehow caused the marital split. Another is that if you no longer love each other, you could also stop loving them, your child. So, you’ll want to let your child know you both still love them as much as ever.
Don’t forget to carve out time for them
You’ll have a lot on your mind and a lot of tasks to accomplish when divorcing. On top of that, you are probably crying out for some time alone to grieve or think things through. Yet, your child needs you both more than ever during this challenging time, so you must prioritize giving them the attention they need, too.
Seeking legal assistance to guide you through the divorce process can free you up to spend more time with your child. It can also increase the chance that you and they will emerge from the process relatively unscathed.