Shielding and insulating kids from divorce

Many California parents struggle with how to manage the impact of divorce on their children. There are concerns over the children’s mental health and what they should be told about the divorce. While some parents may aim to insulate their children from the divorce entirely, this is often not the best way.

There are several often-misunderstood aspects of divorce, including how to deal with children. It is often impossible to entirely shield kids from the end of their parents’ marriage. They are going to notice changes in how their parents interact or if one person begins to live outside the home more and more often. Keeping divorce a secret from kids may actually raise their anxiety levels because it leaves them with unanswered questions and fears. Children are likely to not understand what is happening or may feel that they are the reason for arguments or splits.

Instead of trying to insulate children entirely from divorce, they should be included in an age-appropriate manner in what is going on. Parents can do a lot to alleviate their children’s fears of divorce by explaining the reality of the situation. Many children are put at ease knowing that even if their parents need to split up, they won’t be losing their family. Instead, the family is just going to be different than it was before.

It can be difficult to strike a healthy balance between shielding kids from aspects of divorce they shouldn’t be involved in and ensuring they aren’t left with unnecessary troubling questions or fears. This becomes especially important regarding issues like child custody. An attorney may be able to help a client navigate these matters and provide guidance on achieving a healthy outcome.