Many younger couples are choosing to wait to get married, especially when compared to earlier generations. Still, that doesn’t mean divorce doesn’t happen. As a parent, you might wonder what you can do to help a divorcing child. There’s a few things you can do in particular to help them during this tougher time…
Divorcing Child: Help As A Parent
Divorcing Child: Help As A Parent
Take some time for yourself
As a parent, it’s natural you’ll want to be there for your divorcing child. Still, you may have formed your own connections with your child’s spouse. Or, maybe you feel like you should have done more to help them work things out. Either way, it’s important to be honest with yourself and any potential ways their divorce might impact you.
Much like with your child, it’s okay to feel sad about their divorce. However, if your child shows a willingness to forgive and move forwards, then so should you. Try to avoid holding onto any negative feelings, especially if the divorce was mutual and they continue to remain friends or co-parents. After all, you don’t want those negative feelings to impact the support you offer them.
Offer positive support
Any divorcing child is going to need some good, positive support from their parents. Of course, it’s important to know what kind of support will help the best. For instance, avoid trying to offer them any legal advice. You may want to offer financial advice if you think it’s needed, but the most important thing is emotional support.
One useful way to offer support is in regards to their own kids. Your child might ask you to watch them while they take care of divorce-related meetings. It might even be a good idea to have them spend a few days at your home, just so they’re away from the divorce for a bit. Even friendly divorces can be stressful for kids, so it helps for them to have a place to get away from things.
Respect boundaries
It’s important to be mindful about your desire to help your divorcing child not crossing any boundaries. While it’s good to let them know support is there, they’ll also need some time to process things alone. It’s key to be respectful of that, and give them some alone time when they need it.