Welcome back and thanks for joining us. In part one we talked about the fact that some children struggle more than others with their parent’s divorce, and need professional help from a therapist or counselor to process their emotions. We also looked at a list of common signs that indicate a child is struggling with their parents’ divorce. Moving on, were going to look at what a parent can do once they’ve determined that their kid is having a hard time, and they want to help.
Discuss the situation with teachers and caregivers
You should preserve your privacy, and not discuss the intimate details of your divorce with your children’s teachers and caregivers. However, the truth is that your divorce is likely to affect your child, and those changes will be noticed by the adults who interact with them on a regular basis. Letting teachers and caregivers know what’s going on in your life, so that they understand what’s happening to your child.
Also, by discussing the situation with your child’s teachers and caregivers, you can get a better handle on how your child is coping away from home. Are they not turning in their assignments? Are they being rude in class, or bullying other students? All of these are signs that your child is struggling with your divorce, and you need to take action to help them work through this difficult time.
Getting help for your child
Once you’ve come to the decision that your child needs professional help, the next step is figuring out where to get it, and who to get it from. Finding the right therapist or counselor is very important. So where do you go from here? How do you find the right one? Well, you have several options:
- Talk to your child’s doctor. Pediatricians can usually recommend a reputable therapist or counselor who specializes in meeting children’s emotional and psychological needs.
- If you are seeing a therapist yourself, ask them for recommendations. Most adult therapists can recommend a well qualified colleague to see your child.
- If you are comfortable discussing your child’s emotional difficulties, talk to your friends. You may be surprised to discover that some of their children needed a little extra emotional support at one time or another in life.
Once you have found a therapist you believe will help, make sure that you meet with them fist, and explain your family’s situation and your child’s specific struggles. Give them details about the troubles your child is facing, and be clear about the signs and symptoms you have encountered so far. The more information they have, the better they can help your child.
Do you need help with your divorce or custody arrangements?
It’s important to remember that counseling is a legal custody decision. So if you have joint legal custody, you must discuss, and come to an agreement, with your ex on this issue. Otherwise, if you need help figuring out your custody arrangement, or need help working with your ex on custody concerns, the experienced family law attorneys at The Kronzek Firm are available to help you every step of the way.