While the spouses are the ones who make the decision to divorce, they are not the only ones who are affected. If the couple has children, they will also be affected by their parents splitting up, despite having no say in the decision.
Parents need to recognize how the divorce will affect the children and need to be mindful of their reaction to it. To help ease the effects of the divorce parents should talk to their children about the divorce and the changes.
Tips for parents as they discuss divorce with children
Parents should discuss with their children together and plan what they will say to their children. They should also pick a time when the children do not have somewhere to be or a time when they are not are overly tired.
Parents should not blame the other parent for the divorce. It should be explained in a way that does not put one parent in a negative light. Children should not feel that they are being put in a situation where they feel like they need to choose sides. It is important to tell them why the divorce is happening though, but it should be stated in general terms without getting into specifics.
It is also important to discuss how things will be changing. This includes discussing which parent may be moving out of the home and when the children will see each parent. Knowing the changes will help, but children will have questions about what is happening. Try to answer them without getting into too much detail. They must know it is not their fault in any way though.
The discussion with children will not be easy, but when parents in Texas divorce in they need to try their best to keep the situation as normal as possible for their children despite all of the changes. This does not mean that parents have to have parenting time and custody figured out right away, but children should know the immediate changes that will be occurring in their lives. After the initial conversations, parents can seek the guidance of experienced attorneys to work through final custody and parenting time decisions.