If you’re divorcing and have children with your soon-to-be ex-spouse, it’s vital that you do whatever you can to provide stability during this challenging time.
While you have to focus the necessary resources on the divorce process and protecting yourself, you can’t do so at the expense of your children. Should this happen, you put them at a major disadvantage both now and in the future.
When you prepare for all possible questions from your children, it’s much easier to answer them in an accurate and timely manner. Here are just a few of the many that you should expect:
- Where will I live in the future? This is a common question, especially among children who realize that you’ll no longer live in the same house as their other parent. Be honest with them if you don’t yet have a definitive answer. As time goes by, it will become more clear as to where you and your children will reside in the near future.
- Will I still get to spend time with the both of you? While a lot of this depends on how the divorce process shakes out, the opportunity is there. For example, if you have physical custody of your children, your ex-spouse may have visitation rights. This gives your children the opportunity to spend plenty of time with the two of you.
- What’s the reason for your divorce? This is one of the most difficult questions to answer, as you need to balance the truth with what your children actually need to hear. Furthermore, you must take into consideration what they’ll understand and be able to process. A big part of answering this question comes down to the age of your children and their maturity level. For example, there’s a big difference between telling a 5-year-old and a 15-year old about your divorce and future plans.
There’s a lot to think about as you prepare for divorce, but the well-being of your children should be at the top of the list. Once you feel good about this, it’s easier to move through the divorce process with a clear mind.