Be Honest with Your Kids During Divorce

When it comes to approaching the issue of divorce with your children, honesty is always the best policy. Of course, there are some caveats to mention, but you should never feel as though you must lie to your kids about what is happening during the divorce process. In fact, doing so could cause trust issues that will last a long time.

Instead, the following are a few tips that will help you to maintain good, open communication with your children as your divorce proceeds:

• Avoid sharing any inappropriate information: Just because you should be honest with your children does not mean you need to tell them anything inappropriate or that they don’t need to know. They either will not understand what you are telling them or it will cause them to resent you. It’s better to keep the grisly details of your divorce to yourself.
• Make sure your kids know they are not to blame: Your children should know they have no blame at all in the divorce. You can be honest (to an extent) about the reasons why you and your spouse are getting a divorce. Telling them that you “grew apart” or “no longer love each other” is appropriate and may be true, even when there’s lot more to the divorce.
• Avoid venting to your children: Again, honesty is not the same as sharing everything. You should not vent to your children or attempt to use them as your therapist — this is unhealthy and places a burden on them they are not prepared to handle. Save your complaints and your venting for your attorney, your actual therapist or your trusted friends and relatives.

For further guidance on dissolving your marriage in the state of New York, contact a trusted Long Island divorce lawyer with Bryan L. Salamone & Associates.