Child Centered Divorce Blog Index

Divorced Parents: Communicate Compassion...

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC During and after divorce your children may be hyper-sensitive about many things. What may have formerly been routine conversations, questions or activities can now be touchy subjects fraught with anxiety, resentment or ager. This is understandable when you consider that the stability of the world they knew has been dramatically altered. Minor insecurities can easily grow into major problems. Children may regress in their behaviors and skills. Some become more clinging – others more aloof – depending on their adaptability and perspective about the divorce. This is the time to focus on good parent/child communication. You can reinforce or rebuild trust, security and confidence that things will be okay again – despite the changes inflicted by your divorce. Here are some solid tips for more effective communication with your children. Master them today and they will work on your behalf for years and

Parenting After Divorce

Unraveling the Emotional Toll of Divorce on Your Children!

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC Divorce can be devastating when you’re a parent. You can’t just crawl into a hole and grieve, rant or rage. You must still care for the wellbeing of your children. And sometimes this challenge is so overwhelming parents fail to cope with the responsibilities of parenting. When that happens, your children pay a high price. And very often, you may not be fully aware of how your kids are affected. It’s not always easy to remember that your children may be grieving as deeply as you are during and after divorce. It’s even more frightening for them because they were not responsible for the divorce. Nor are they aware of the complex dynamics that led up to the split. Their fears are compounded by apprehension about whether either parent may ever divorce them. They fear what will happen to them and their family in the future.

Child-Centered Divorce

Parent/Child Communication Is Even More Crucial After Divorce!

Communication with your child is essential. By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC It’s no secret that one of the biggest challenges a parent faces after divorce is staying in good communication with your children. All parents struggle with communication issues as their children grow. However, children who have had their lives dramatically altered by separation or divorce need even more attention. Plus, diligent and consistent observation by their parents. Children tend not to tell you when they are angry, resentful, confused, hurt or depressed. Instead, they reflect their problems through their behavior. Often they will act out. Other kids may regress or turn inward in ways that you have not experienced prior to the divorce. Take time to see the world through your children’s eyes. You will be better able to meet their needs and understand their confusion or aggression. Then you can find appropriate ways to resolve

Parenting After Divorce

How Parental Conflict Harms Children Long After Divorce

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC In a newsletter from Dr. Mark Goulston, he makes a disturbing point. “When asked to choose between their parents being nicer to them or more loving towards each other, most teenagers pick the latter. The animosity between parents is very painful to their children.” Stop and think about that for a moment. Teenagers would sacrifice receiving more love from their parents if they could assure their parents got along better with one another. This reinforces what most mental health professionals have long known. Parental conflict is a source of continual pain for our children – whether the parents are married or divorced! As a Divorce & Co-Parenting Coach and Founder of the Child-Centered Divorce Network for parents, this is extremely important. I want both parents to fully understand the impact of parental discord upon your children. That’s why I ask every client: Do you love your

Parenting After Divorce

How Blended Family Challenges Impact Parents & Children!

Divorce and the Blended Family By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC There are twenty million blended families in the United States alone. That number has more than doubled over the past twenty years. Some project that blended families will become the norm, or at least a majority, within the next decade. Regardless of the statistics, blended families are a growing reality in our society. Blended family challenges can be overwhelming if not handled with awareness and sensitivity for all concerned. Whether you’re a step-parent, step-child or step-sibling, you face issues that other families do not encounter. 10 Tips For Parents & New Partners! Here are some suggestions especially for parents and their partners entering a blended family. They will help minimize problems and tension within your new family unit. 1. BE PATIENT: Don’t expect to be the Brady Bunch right from the start. Allow your family members time

Parenting After Divorce

How Anger & Conflict Sabotages Your Co-Parenting Relationship

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC While anger is a natural emotion, when faced with a challenging situation, it can also create the most destructive consequences. Not surprisingly it can easily sabotage your co-parenting relationship for you and your children. Improperly expressed anger accelerates conflict and can produce difficulties between co-parents, children and extended family. The impact also touches friends, your co-workers, neighbors and colleagues. The inappropriate expression of anger can start with some forms of verbal abuse. However, it can also lead to physical violence. Left uncontrolled, it can result in encounters with law enforcement and the judicial system. The impact of mismanaged anger We all get angry and feel anger when “triggered.” However, we always have choices regarding how we act upon those feelings. Acting before thinking can lead to mismanaged anger and heightened conflict. Once you have reacted to anger, you have allowed your feelings to control you.

Parenting After Divorce

8 Must-Do Co-Parenting Strategies for Divorced Parents

Divorced Parents: your children are watchintg! By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC While moving through divorce can seem like an insurmountable obstacle, for many parents it is just the beginning of a new and equally intimidating challenge: co-parenting your children. Hats off to all of you who have chosen to remain in your children’s lives as co-parents. It means both of you care deeply about your children and want to continue raising them in the least-disruptive possible manner. Of course not all parents can share the parenting process in this way and for some couples it is not realistic to even attempt it. But those divorced parents who choose to live relatively close to one another so as not to disturb the school, sports and other related schedules of their children, certainly deserve credit and acknowledgement. This is a complex topic that can’t be glossed over with a

Parenting After Divorce

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By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC Co-parenting during and after divorce is always challenging. But more and more couples are realizing divorce doesn’t have to be a toxic disaster for parents or children. Co-parents have options and choices worth exploring. You can create a peaceful, amicable Child-Centered Divorce and your children will thank you. Keys to a peaceful divorce Here are some vitally important tips for achieving the positive outcome you desire … Acknowledge, and then forgive, yourself for the role you played in the disappointment and dissolution of your marriage. Don’t beat yourself up. Instead identify the lessons you’ve learned and determine not to repeat former mistakes. Let go of the past and pick your battles moving forward. Life is too short to get stuck in old grievances. Forgiving your ex means cutting the cord to the pain. It’s the gift you give yourself so you can create a brighter future.

Child-Centered Divorce

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC The 15th Anniversary of International Child-Centered Divorce Month is being recognized by divorce experts around the world. They will be providing free ebooks, coaching services, videos, Tip Sheets and other gifts to divorced parents throughout January. ICCD Month is dedicated to alerting parents about the effects of divorce on children – and how to prevent emotional and psychological damage to children during and after a divorce. Divorce attorneys, mediators, therapists, financial planners, coaches and other professionals on four continents will be participating. Their purpose is to promote peaceful divorce, cooperative co-parenting, and educating parents about how to prevent negative consequences for children affected by separation or divorce. More divorces are initiated in January, following the holiday season, than in any other month. That’s why as a Divorce & Co-Parenting Coach, I chose January to commemorate ICCD Month. I want alert parents about the harm to their

Child-Centered Divorce

Divorcing In Today’s Economy Mandates Responsible Parenting Decisions

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC Is our down-turned economy having an effect on divorce in the U.S. and other nations? Reports from marriage counselors and divorce attorneys around the globe are in agreement. They’re finding many couples who were ready to call it quits are postponing the divorce decision due to financial reasons. In the U.S., with the cost of food, fuel and housing at near-record highs, many couples are just not divorcing. They are afraid they can’t afford it. Does this mean couples are finding new ways to get along and reconsider working on their marriages? In some cases, yes. But for many it just means adapting to continued unhappiness, disappointment and frustration. Children pay the price This, of course, does not bear well for their children. They experience the negative consequences of a distressed marriage. A tough call whether the couple splits or stays together because of economic factors.

Child-Centered Divorce

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Divorced Parents: Communicate Compassion...

Unraveling the Emotional Toll of Divorce...

Parent/Child Communication Is Even More ...

How Parental Conflict Harms Children Lon...

How Blended Family Challenges Impact Par...

How Anger & Conflict Sabotages Your Co-P

8 Must-Do Co-Parenting Strategies for Di...

9 Secrets of a Child-Centered Divorce &

In January, International Child-Centered...

Divorcing In Today’s Economy Mandates Re

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