Children often look forward to seeing their friends when they go back to school after the summer. For some kids, this is a time that comes with considerable stress, but not because of anything academic. Children whose parents went through a divorce or separation during the summer might be worried about how the new school year will go.
There are many ways that you can help to prepare your child for the first school year after you and their other parent split up. Being conscientious about how your child is adjusting to the changes might help you determine the best ways to help them.
Remind them that divorce is common
Some children may worry that their peers will look down on them because their parents are divorced. While there may be some who do, it’s more likely that your children will find many others who are in a similar situation. Knowing that this is common may help them feel better as they go back to school.
Alert adults at school about the change
The adults at your child’s school can be a great help to them. Be sure to let the ones who are likely to have regular contact with your child know about the divorce. Administrators, guidance counselors and teachers may be better able to help the kids if they know about this major change in the family structure.
One thing that you can do to make things easier for your children is to have a parenting plan established as quickly as possible after the split. This gives children the stability they need while they adjust to the changes. Remember to set the plan up for what the children need now since you’ll be able to modify it if their needs change down the road.
