13 Things Kids Want Parents to Know
By Isolina Ricci, PhD
- We need to know you love us, will protect us and won’t leave
- Help us get organized for going back and forth. Be patient
- Listen to our questions and opinions even if you don’t agree.
- Accept that we need a lot of time to adjust, even when we don’t show it.
- Keep your conflicts and dislike of each other out of sight and earshot.
- Keep us out of the middle of your problems. We are just kids.
- Don’t ask us to spy, pass messages or hear you put down the other parent.
- Give us a chance to talk with kids who are also going through this.
- Help us express our feelings and learn how to manage them.
- Give us space and time to grieve the loss of our old life at our pace.
- Confide in people your own age. We are not your substitute spouse.
- Tell us we aren’t at fault for your problems. We can’t fix them either.
- Show us it’s OK to love and want to be with both of you