Divorce is enough to make anyone feel miserable. But, what if you have kids? How can you be an awesome parent while you’re experiencing the emotional upheaval of a breakup or divorce?
Here are some tried and true tips for being a rockstar parent, all while going through a separation.
Focus on the Kids
During a divorce, your children will need you there more than ever. “Children need their parents to be emotionally present, engaged, and attuned,” says an article in Psychology Today.
Keeping your focus on your children won’t just benefit them… it will benefit you. While you may be separating from your partner, you will always be a parent to your children. Investing your time and energy in that long-term child-parent connection will help to recharge and energize you, and you’ll be empowered by the lasting joys of being a mom or dad.
Maintain Boundaries
“It is critical to maintain boundaries between adult problems and children,” says an article in the Huffington Post, “Kids don’t have the coping skills or the intellectual ability to understand money worries, adult relationship issues, or their parents’ unhappiness.”
Draw a line between what you’re going through, and what your kids hear. Keep conversations focused on your children, and only share logistical information that’s relevant to them. This will help ease the burden for your children, and also...it will give you some well earned time away from thinking about your divorce.
Take a Break from the Hard Stuff
Maintaining boundaries between your adult worries and your children - and placing your focus on your kids - will give you a much-deserved break from the hard stuff. Use your time with the kids to recharge and connect - talk about them, and let their energy and creativity propel you into this next phase of your life.
Summary of Part II and III: The second part of this series will focus on how caring for yourself will make you a better parent, and in the third part, we’ll discuss how to help your children move forward by starting new family traditions.
