telling kids about divorce Archives - Child-Centered Divorce

6 CRUCIAL MESSAGES WHEN TELLING YOUR CHI...

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC One of the toughest conversations any parent will ever have is breaking the divorce news to your children. Regardless of their age, kids are emotionally impacted in so many painful ways. It’s a subject that’s heartbreaking to discuss, frightening to digest, and overwhelming to think about for parents and children alike. That’s why I wrote How Do I Tell the Kids About the Divorce? A Create-a-Storybook Guide to Protecting Your Children – With Love! It conveys my internationally acclaimed strategy combining photos, parental support and communication principles that work. When both parents plan their approach in advance, agree not to point fingers at one another, and share a message that is hopeful and compassionate, the experience is better for everyone in the family. Navigating the Dreaded Divorce Talk Here are six crucial messages to include in your divorce talk. THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT. Children of

How Do I Tell the Kids About The Divorce?

Breaking The Divorce News? 5 Pitfalls To Avoid When Telling Kids!

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC Facing divorce and stymied about how to tell your kids? Wondering how it will affect them? Worried about hurting them with the news? When’s the best time to talk? What to say and not say? How they will respond? Not sure just what to confide? Well, you’re not alone. There’s no doubt this might be one of the most difficult conversations you’ll ever have. It’s a talk your children won’t want to have – and you must be prepared. 5 Big Mistakes To Avoid Here are the five mistakes most commonly made by parents. Be sure you don’t add stress to your children’s lives by making these errors. 1. Exposing your children to parental conflict. That not only includes fighting. Bad-mouthing their other parent, eye-rolling, sarcasm and other disrespectful behavior or remarks count too. Studies show that this does more damage to children than any other

How Do I Tell the Kids About The Divorce?

5 Pitfalls to Avoid When Telling Kids About Divorce

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC Facing divorce and stymied about how to tell your kids? Wondering how it will affect them? Worried about hurting them with the news? When’s the best time to talk? What to say and not say? What they will say? Not sure just what to confide? Well, you’re not alone. There’s no doubt this might be one of the most difficult conversations you’ll ever have. It’s a talk your children won’t want to have – and you must be prepared. Here are the five mistakes most commonly made by parents regarding the divorce talk. Be sure you don’t add stress to your children’s lives by making these errors. You'll find answers to the other questions on my blog at ChildCenteredDivorce.com. 1. Exposing your children to parental conflict or fighting. Studies show that this does more damage to children than any other factor in their lives – whether

Child-Centered Divorce

Breaking Divorce News to Your Children? Use the Storybook Approach

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC One million American children experience divorce each year. All of their parents face the same heart-wrenching dilemma … “How do I tell the kids?” If you’re facing the challenges of telling your kids about a divorce or separation, take heart. Now there’s an easier, more effective way to do it right. Acclaimed by therapists, attorneys, mediators, educators and other professionals around the world, How Do I Tell the Kids About the Divorce? A Create-a-Storybook Guide to Preparing Your Children -- With Love! is a unique guidebook that doesn’t just tell parents what to say. It says it for you! Getting both parents in alignment for the sake of the kids! Rosalind Sedacca’s Create-a-Storybook concept guides you in creating a special storybook. It uses your family photos, along with her customizable fill-in-the-blank templates written in age-appropriate language (for ages 5-15). It’s a unique and proven approach unlike

How Do I Tell the Kids About The Divorce?

What To Tell Your Spouse Before Talking Divorce With Your Kids!

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC Ever go on a vacation without making plans in advance? The consequences are usually disastrous. If you fail to plan ahead regarding reservations, canceling mail delivery, caring for your pets and knowing your destination, your vacation is likely to be filled with disappointment, frustration and even heartache. What about preparing your children for your pending divorce? Do you have a plan – or are you going to wing it without any prior thought? For children, divorce is a monumental life experience for which they have no preparation. The very foundation of their security – their love for both parents – is being thrown into turmoil. Everything they knew and accepted as part of routine daily life is going to be affected in one way or another. They don’t know what to expect. They also have little source of comfort other than their parents who are announcing

How Do I Tell the Kids About The Divorce?

7 Divorce Questions Your Kids Will Ask And Want Answered!

Children are affected by divorce By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC All divorcing parents dread having the tough “break the news” talk with their kids. It’s a complex, deeply emotional conversation that can break your heart while testing your parenting stability. Before tackling this challenge, I encourage both parents to read my ebook: How Do I Tell The Kids About The Divorce: A Create-a-Storybook Guide For Preparing Your Children – With Love! It prepares you physically, emotionally and psychologically for what to expect and how to respond. Be aware that the questions don’t end there. During and long after the initial conversation your children will be addressing you with questions. It’s best to talk with your co-parent in advance so you’re both on the same page and prepared with age-appropriate answers. Your responses don’t have to be long or detailed. Your children are looking for comfort, security and

How Do I Tell the Kids About The Divorce?

5 Steps To Better Communication With Your Children – For A Better Divorce Outcome!

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, become more clinging – or more aloof – depending on their adaptability and perspective about the divorce. This is a time to master the art of good parent/child communication so 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

How Do I Tell the Kids About The Divorce?

How To Tell Your Children About the Divorce: A Proven Approach That’s Sensitive and Sane!

The best approach to breaking the divorce news to your children! By Rosalind Sedacca, DCD Few children outgrow the warm comfort of a bedtime tale. And like most kids, my son always enjoyed his baby pictures – watching himself grow and change. Divorce is certainly no fairytale, but I thought, ‘Maybe combing a story with our own family photos will help him grasp the biggest, most dramatic change of his life.’ When I decided to end my marriage, I spent countless sleepless, anxiety-filled nights trying to figure out how my then-11-year-old son might survive the trauma. I knew I had to help him understand that the divorce was not his fault; that his dad and I would always love him and keep him safe; and that things would turn out okay. I wanted a way to tell him the divorce was essentially about change – not

How Do I Tell the Kids About The Divorce?

Breaking the Divorce News To My Son Was Both Traumatic & Transformative!

The best approach to breaking the divorce news to your children! By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC I’ve faced many difficult moments in my life. But preparing to tell my son that I will be divorcing his father was absolutely one of the worst. He was innocent -- a sweet eleven year-old boy who loved both his parents dearly. He didn’t deserve this. I struggled with anxiety for weeks. When should we tell him? What should we say? How do you tell a child that the life he has known is about to be disrupted – forever? How do you tell him that it’s not his fault? And how do you prepare him for all the unknowns looming ahead when you’re not sure yourself how it will turn out? Was I making the right decision? Will my son hate me for initiating a divorce that embattled me with

How Do I Tell the Kids About The Divorce?

Family Photos Vitally Important for Children of Divorce

By Rosalind Sedacca, CCT I read a poignant comment on a blog recently written by a married mother of three. She was a child of divorce whose father moved out of the home when she was four. She talks about having very few pictures of herself as a child and only one of her mother and father together. Her grandfather found and gave her the photo just a few years ago. She framed it and has proudly displayed it in her home for her own children to see. She explains how special that one photo of her with Mom and Dad is to her. It shows a little girl sitting happily on a lawn with her “real” family – before the divorce. This woman grieves that she has no other photographs of her father and so few pictures of her childhood. She assumes that her mother hid or destroyed all

Parenting After Divorce

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6 CRUCIAL MESSAGES WHEN TELLING YOUR CHI...

Breaking The Divorce News? 5 Pitfalls To...

5 Pitfalls to Avoid When Telling Kids Ab...

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What To Tell Your Spouse Before Talking ...

7 Divorce Questions Your Kids Will Ask A...

5 Steps To Better Communication With You...

How To Tell Your Children About the Divo...

Breaking the Divorce News To My Son Was ...

Family Photos Vitally Important for Chil...

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