person typing
Talk To Us

Blog

How to talk to young children about divorce

When people Pennsylvania go through a divorce there are many changes that will take place in their lives. They will no longer be sharing one life together and will now have two separate lives. This is true for the couple’s children, too. Divorce can be particularly difficult on children as they cope with the changes in their lives as they begin to split time between their parents. To help ease the difficulties the children may be experiencing, parents should discuss what is happening with their children prior to the process starting.

However, children’s maturity and emotional needs vary, especially depending on their age. Parents would not talk to their teenagers about a divorce the same way they would talk to their toddlers. So, it is important to know how children’s understanding of what is happening changes as they grow older. Parents also need to understand how children may react to it or how their behavior may change as they start their new lives.

Young children have a limited ability to understand why things are changing. They will certainly know things are different, but will not know why. This could lead to a number of different behavioral issues emerging and potentially a regression in their development. When talking with them about the changes, it is important to keep the answers short and to the point. Also, parents need to be prepared to answer many different questions and some of the same ones multiple times. Keeping the same routine as much as possible is also important as children adjust to the two different homes.

Many parents divorce each year in Pennsylvania and this means that their children will need to adjust to a new life where mom and dad are not under the same roof. This can be particularly difficult and parents need to be able to answer children’s questions and assure them that it is not their fault. Especially for young children, keeping a similar routine is also important. Experienced attorneys understand the difficulties that arise for children and parents in divorce and may be able to guide one through it.

Call Today & Learn About
Your Legal Options

To schedule your consultation call us at (717) 221-8303