A divorce or separation can be a very difficult time for the adults going through it, and for children, it can cause a mix of strong emotions, including guilt, sadness, anger, fear, and frustration. The process of a divorce or separation can be traumatic for all of those involved, but when given support, children can learn to cope with the difficulties involved. The resources on this page can help parents support children through a divorce or separation.
The process of going through a divorce or separation is difficult, but perhaps the most difficult part is breaking the news to your children. The following resources offer tips and advice on how to tell your children about a divorce or separation.
How to Tell Kids You’re Getting a Divorce
How to break the news, deciding what to say, and how kids may react, from the Child Mind Institute.
How to explain divorce/separation to kids, what you should and should not say, how to respond to kids' questions, and how to keep open communication, from Families Change: Guide to Separation and Divorce.
Divorce and separation can bring about a wide variety of different emotions and reactions from kids. The following resources offer tips and suggestions on how to support your kids throughout the process of getting a divorce or going through a separation.
Supporting Kids During a Divorce
What to expect and how to respond, from the Child Mind Institute.
Supporting Children Experiencing Parental Separation or Divorce
Useful links, articles and educational brochures, books, educational videos, and general resources, from Rainbows for All Children.
Types of feelings your kids may be experiencing, how to identify feelings, problem solving, and what you can do if your kids' behavior changes or they act out, from Families Change: Parent Guide to Separation and Divorce.
What changes you and your kids can expect, and how to navigate those changes, from Families Change: Parent Guide to Separation and Divorce.
Reading books with your kids can be an excellent way to help kids make sense of what is happening and help them process their feelings. The following books cover topics related to divorce and separation.
Dinosaurs Divorce: Life Guides for Families, by Marc Brown & Laurie Krasny Brown
In this book, dinosaur characters introduce aspects of divorce such as its causes and effects, living with a single parent, spending holidays in two separate households, and adjusting to a stepparent.
Two Homes, by Claire Masurel, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
This book presents an optimistic view of separation, where a child has two favorite places, activities, and parents to engage with.
Was It the Chocolate Pudding? A Story for Little Kids About Divorce, by Sandra Levins
In this book, when a little boy's parents divorce, he worries that it might be because he and his brother smeared chocolate cake on the walls. It highlights that divorce is not the fault of children and includes some of the key issues facing parents when answering children's questions.
The Family Book, by Todd Parr
This book celebrates the love we feel for our families and all the different varieties they come in. Whether you have two moms or two dads, a big family or a small family, a clean family or a messy one, Todd Parr assures readers that no matter what kind of family you have, every family is special in its own unique way.
The Invisible String, by Patrice Karst
Although this book does not specifically address the topic of divorce/separation, it helps kids cope with separation by explaining that no matter where you are physically, you are connected to the people who love you by an invisible string.