Helping your Kids with Divorce During the Holidays
If you are in the midst of the divorce process and share kids with your ex, you may be wondering how to manage the holiday season and help your kids enjoy it and feel supported and loved. The divorce process can span several months, so many families are in the midst of a major life change this holiday season. Here are some tips for managing the stress of divorce during the holidays, the change, the newness and the uncertainty:
1. Plan: The holidays are not a time for last minute plans.
Even though you may believe that divorce is what is best for your family, you may still be filled with emotion about the loss, the impact on your family and the overall circumstances. In terms of navigating divorce, you must deal with the logistical, financial and emotional impact of this massive change in your life. If you decide to have a mediated divorce, you may have access to more professional support for your emotion than you expect. While a divorce mediator does not make decisions about your case, your mediator can provide answers to your questions, guidance about Minnesota law and a personal
When you stop and think about it, divorce is a decision made by two adults about the future of their marriage. However, if you have children, this decision has a far-reaching impact. Making decisions that put your children first is one way to minimize the difficulty for your kids and this can make the process easier for them. Johnson Mediation offers a wide range of divorce support services with the ultimate goal of a child-centered divorce. We can help you keep the well-being of your children as your top priority from the start of the process to the end.
Everyone reacts somewhat differently to a divorce situation. Divorced parents with minor children will most likely remain connected in some fashion as they work together to raise, nurture and care for he needs of each child. Post-divorce disagreements can escalate and cause harm to the children if each party is not willing or able to put aside resentments towards the ex-partner and put the needs of the child first. Johnson Mediation provides couples with helpful tools and support services to resolve parenting conflicts or emotional issues that may arise while moving on after divorce. Post-Divorce counseling services at Johnson Mediation are provided by a professional mediator with experience in grief recovery solutions and mediating changes to divorce agreements.
Every marriage is different, and no two divorces are the same, but one thing that nearly all divorces have in common is conflict. If you share children, then you are probably already concerned with ways to protect them from the conflict between you and your spouse. The staff at Johnson Mediation offers a wide variety of resources that can help you with this important part of the process. Below are strategies to help you protect your children from the conflict and tension between you and your ex.
It is impossible to protect your children completely from your divorce, but younger children present a unique challenge when it comes to helping them navigate the change. They are not able to communicate their needs as clearly and openly as older children, so you need to be able to interpret their behaviors and provide them with support that is age appropriate and make decisions that are in their best interest. Supporting their needs while you go through the emotional strain of a divorce adds another level of complexity.
