Teens who have always lived with both parents are in for a major change if their parents opt to divorce. Unfortunately, there isn’t really anything they can do to force their parents to stay together. While it might be a bit easier to help a teen adjust than it is for you to help a toddler understand what’s going on, you may still have to help them.
One of the most important things for you to do is to keep the conflict away from them. Teens are very perceptive, so they don’t need to be put into the middle of any disagreements. Additionally, they may internalize things, which can make it even more difficult for them to deal with the divorce.
Another way you can help is by keeping their daily schedule consistent. There might be some minor changes that have to occur, but try to keep everything as close to normal as possible. If the teen is going to be moving out of the area, make sure that you work out ways that they can keep up with friends.
It might be beneficial for you to let trusted adults who’re around your children often know about the divorce. This can help them understand any behavioral changes that the teen goes through, and it may help them to work with the child to address any concerns.
You may need to have an open discussion with the teen about what’s going on and the changes that are coming. It may be easier to do this if you have the parenting plan and parenting time schedule in place before you let them know about the divorce.
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