(HealthDay News) — Breaking the news to children that their parents are getting a divorce can be quite difficult.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry offers these suggestions:
- Don’t keep the information from your child or wait until the last minute to tell the child.
- Both parents should get together to talk to the child.
- Speak simply, honestly and directly with the child.
- Explain that the divorce is not the child’s fault. Make sure the child knows that both parents will still be around, and both still love the child.
- Be honest that this is a sad and difficult time for everyone.
- Don’t speak negatively about the other parent in front of the child.