Ending your long-term romantic relationship may be for the best in the long run, but this reality can be difficult to accept at first. This may especially be the case for your children, who will be concerned about the change in family dynamic.
While children are perfectly able to thrive post-divorce, navigating the divorce process can be difficult. How do you know if your children are struggling and what can be done to help them?
Signs your child is struggling
Something that you will want to look out for are changes to your child’s overall temperament. Are they usually outgoing but have become very withdrawn? Perhaps they are usually mild mannered, but have snapped at you more than a few times lately.
Signs that your child is struggling are not always obvious and your child’s teachers may be able to help you with identifying any concerning issues. They should be trained to deal with children who are going through a divorce, and should be able to alert you to any changes at school. Poor performance, getting into trouble and outbursts at school could all stem from difficulty processing changes at home.
What can you do to help?
One thing that can help is if parents are able to keep a united front. This way, your children can see that despite the romantic side of their parents’ relationship changing, many other things remain stable. If you and your co-parent aren’t able to maintain a united front, you can keep things as consistent and stable as possible so that your child can – over time – regain a feeling of security.
Stability is key for children post-divorce, and a suitable custody arrangement can facilitate this need. Seeking legal guidance can help you to achieve this consequential aim.