Now that the divorce is finalized, it’s time to focus on your children. Where will they live? Who will have custody of them? How will the holidays be handled? These are all important questions that must be answered as soon as possible by you and the other parent. One solution is to come to an agreement on shared custody, especially if the two of you are civil enough to make it work.
Schedule time to inform your children all about how custody is going to be handled. This should be a family meeting that involves all of the children and both of the parents. Make sure there is enough time set aside so that you do not rush through this conversation.
Get rid of all the drama between you and the other parent before having this discussion with your children. You don’t want to be fighting in front of them or having the other parent claim this wasn’t their choice. You both need to be on the same page regarding shared custody before telling the children.
Let your children know all about the arrangement. This includes where they will live, where they will go to school, that they will still see their grandparents and that they will still be loved by both of you.
Do not ignore any questions asked by your children about shared custody. If you are having trouble answering a question, let them know you will think about it and get back to them with an answer.
Shared custody is an option following divorce that many couples are putting to work these days. Explaining it to your children can be challenging, especially for the younger kids. Make sure you have answers for their questions and can show them how life won’t change too much.