Those who get divorced will face stress from all angles, but it’s important to develop practices that will help ease your anxiety because your children need help reducing theirs. While you don’t want your children to become “children of divorce,” that’s the reality. Now it’s time to buckle up, find a trustworthy confidant that will allow you to vent (don’t choose someone with a close relation to your ex), and take care of your health so you can maintain a somewhat-steady environment for you child.
While you may be able to offer support and words of wisdom to your child’s many questions and calm their nerves, but none of us have all the answers. What’s a good outlet to reach for when seeking knowledge? Books.
The following books can provide younger children with an eye-opening perspective of divorce. These books, along with your guiding hand, will help them understand that divorce isn’t all bad. In many ways, children can have a nearly normal and enjoyable life with both their parents.
- Fred Stays With Me by Nancy Coffeit and Tricia Tusa
This is a great book for young children who lived in a home with a family pet. In Fred Stays With Me, the dog loves the young girl, and the girl finds comfort with Fred. The dog is her way of making the situation of living in two different homes a little more normal, so as she moves back and forth between her mom and dad’s homes, so does her trusty mate Fred.
- Emily’s Blue Period by Cathleen Daly
Just as adults search for a medium to deal with intense emotions, so do children. In this book, Emily finds solace after discovering renowned artists Pablo Picasso’s “blue period” paintings and begins to paint herself to work through emotions like grief, resentment, anxiety and acceptance.
- My two Homes by Claudia Harrington and Zoe Persico
In this book, the young Skye has a good friend named Lenny, who heads home with Skye to work on a school project and discovers that she has two different homes, a mom, dad, and stepdad. This book promotes the idea that a new life in two different homes can be a very positive experience. Children can love both their parents and care for their stepparents. Life can be normal and exciting for children after divorce.
Guidance is a good thing
If you’re thinking about divorce, but holding off because of the kids, understand that children are resilient and adaptable. As long as you maintain a level head and treat your ex with respect, they will do the same.
