It is no secret that a divorce is tough on the whole family, especially young children. They may be unable to comprehend what divorce means, or how your family dynamic will change. Children often experience emotional distress and behavioral problems, especially when schedules are in flux. Explaining the timeshare in an age-appropriate manner can relieve a lot of the stress that a child can feel while you are establishing a schedule for where the kids will spend time. Here are a few simple and creative ways you can put your parenting plan timeshare into terms your child can understand.
Sesame Street Tool Kit
If you have a young child, the concept of divorce may be hard to grasp. They probably don’t understand why they don’t get to see you and the other parent on a regular basis. We provide a Sesame Street Tool Kit to our clients with young children. This kit helps children understand divorce in a way they can process along with activities and games that familiarize themselves with the new two-home dynamic.
Create a Calendar
One of the scariest aspects of divorce for children is the unknown. It is hard for kids to remember a weekly or bi-weekly schedule. Take the mystery out of your parenting schedule and create a large poster calendar together. You can make your calendar as fun and flashy as you want. Decorate each week in different colors, designate different visitation days with stickers, and talk about what your child wants to do on the weekends. Completing a craft like a calendar can help open up a conversation about their feelings regarding the divorce as a whole.
Get Them Involved
If your child is a bit older, you may want to have a discussion regarding your parenting schedule. Ask them for their opinion or viewpoint on the schedule and allow them to speak their mind. If they are having a hard time conceptualizing and communicating their feelings, a therapist may be a great next step.
If you are having issues discussing child visitation as a family, discuss your case with one of our experienced San Diego mediators at SDFMC today. Call (858) 736-2411 today!
