Tips For Parents – Do’s And Don’ts

Preparing for a separation or divorce can be difficult on parents. There are a wide variety of expectations placed on parents with respect to how they treat their children during the process. Questions often come up about how much should be discussed with children, and to what degree they should be involved in the interactions between their parents. Here are some helpful ‘Do and Don’t’ tips for parents.

DO . . . .
• Let your children openly express their feelings.
• Reassure your children that the separation/divorce is not their fault
• Spend quality time with each child.
• Be consistent with rules and expectations in your home and in both homes if possible
• Be happy for them if they have a good time with the other parent or his/her extended family

DON’T . . . .
• Make your children take sides.
• Talk negatively about the other parent.
• Use your children to carry messages to the other parent.
• Confide too much. Your child should not be your confidant.
• Discourage your children’s desire to have a relationship with the other parent or extended family