When a Maryland family is in the midst of a divorce, kids will have a number of questions for both parents about the changes taking place within their family. It is easy for adults to forget that while they have a whole life history of different relationships and living arrangements, kids often know no other reality than the family unit they were born into. When that family is in the process of dividing and determining child custody arrangements, it can be difficult for children to feel secure in what may lie ahead.

Fortunately, many of the questions kids ask during a divorce are predictable. This can make it easier for parents to prepare for the questions and think about how to best answer them. One example lies in a child’s concern that he or she played some role in the parent’s decision to part. This is a perfectly normal assumption, as children are by nature very self-oriented creatures. It is important to assure them that the decision to end a marriage is between two adults, and has nothing to do with them or anything they could have done, good or bad.

Another common concern of children who are going through divorce is where they will live. Even very young children understand that their parents are not going to remain within the same household. The next step of reasoning is to worry about where they themselves will live once the changes are in place. Parents should have at least a rough idea of how child custody will be handled before discussing divorce with their children. It is important to be able to give kids the assurance of where they will live, as well as how often they will see the other parent.

The best way to handle a child’s questions concerning divorce and child custody is to prepare in advance. For couples with children, the health and well-being of the kids should sit at the top of the divorce priority list. Being able to present a unified front about the divorce and the changes that will come is important for a child’s sense of stability. Divorcing couples in Maryland should make every effort to work together to ensure that their kids feel loved and supported throughout the divorce process and beyond.

Source: Source: Huffington Post, ” Children Of Divorce: How To Answer Their Three Most Important Questions,” Adriana Velez, July 6, 2013