When you and your ex go through a divorce, you have to think about how you’re going to help your children through the issues that are going to come up. One of the biggest challenges that they’re going to face is learning how to live in two homes.
For most children, they’ve only known life with both parents under one roof. They don’t have to move back and forth between homes, so they are able to settle in one place. Now, they’re left trying to make two different spaces their own.
The stress that the child feels in these situations can become greater than anything they’ve dealt with. As a parent, it’s necessary to try to do what you can to reduce that stress. You can do this, in part, by making sure that your kids know that you want them to be happy.
Try to make it clear that they don’t need to try to make it seem like they’re unhappy when they’re with your ex. Encourage them to enjoy the time they’re with their other parent. Help them to understand that you want them to be happy as much as possible.
Another concern that children might have is that they may not be able to contact the other parent when they want to. Ensure the child that they are free to contact either parent at any point. This might be done through phone calls, but can also occur via texts, emails and video chats as needed. You can even include these terms in the parenting plan so everyone knows what’s allowed and expected.