Making Lemonade Logo
10 Tips to Help Your Child
through Divorce

Helping your child through your divorce
may be one of the most difficult tasks you will ever face as a parent. The following is
a brief list of practical tips that can help as you walk through this difficult time with
your child.

1. Be honest. Don't lead your child to
believe "dad's away on business" or "everything is going to be wonderful". Children are very perceptive. They know
if a parent is trying to hide something,
even if the purpose is to spare their
feelings. Children need simple straightforward answers they can understand, without blame or making
anyone wrong or bad.

2. Let your child know it is not their fault.
All children in divorced families assume they may be responsible for their parents' breakup. Children need to be gently reassured, repeatedly over the first couple of years, that divorce is an adult decision having nothing to with them or their behavior.

Rights of Children of Divorce
By Lois V. Nightingale, Ph.D.

Children have the right to:

1. Continue to love both parents without guilt or disapproval (subtle or overt) by either parent or other relatives.

2. Be repeatedly reassured that the divorce
is not their fault.

3. Be reassured they are safe and their
needs will be provided for.

4. Have a special place for his or her own belongings at both parents' residences.

5. Visit both parents regardless of what the adults in the situation feel, and regardless
of convenience, or money situations.