Advice for divorce with children

Laura Markham, PhD Clinical Psychologist, explains for parents the impact that a divorce can have on kids and offers suggestions to help make the transition easier for them
Divorce And Children | Advice For Divorce With Children
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Advice for divorce with children

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You know, if you've been in a difficult marriage and you are getting divorced, it is natural to feel some relief and to think everything's about to get better. If you have children, it's important to remember that for them everything is about to get worst, at least in their perception. Even if long term it's a good move for everyone in the whole family. So if you are getting divorced, be aware that your children are going to react to this. They are going to have big reactions, and they will need your help in this big adjustment, and the adjustment goes on for a couple of years. Kids can come out fine from a divorce, but for that to happen they need parents to really understand that this is a hard time for them, to really be compassionate, to help them work through their feelings, to really empathize, and to stay connected so if your child is going back and forth from one home to the other, stay connected to your child even at the times when you are not with your child, and finally do everything you can to get along with your ex now that you are not living together, because one of the big risk factors for children when there's a divorce is when 2 parents keep on fighting.

Laura Markham, PhD Clinical Psychologist, explains for parents the impact that a divorce can have on kids and offers suggestions to help make the transition easier for them

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Laura Markham, PhD

Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Laura Markham is the author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University and has worked as a parenting coach with countless parents across the English-speaking world, both in person and via phone. You can find Dr. Laura online at AhaParenting.com, the website of Aha! Moments for parents of kids from birth through the teen years, where you can sign up for her free daily inspiration email.  Dr. Laura lives in New York with her husband and her kids, who are now 17 and 21.

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