Comforting Children in New Home After Divorce

 Posted on March 21, 2018 in Child Custody

Children of divorce can have difficulty adjusting to living at a parent’s new home during scheduled parenting time. An unfamiliar house or apartment is a physical manifestation of the changes happening in a child’s life after divorce. The parent in the new home must create a familiar and comforting environment for the children. The other parent should try to put the children at ease about the new living environment. Both parents should cooperate to make a smoother transition, for the betterment of their children if not for each others’ sakes.

Preparations

Helping children adjust to a new parental home starts with the other parent at the primary home. Having two homes is an unfamiliar concept that likely makes the children nervous. It is also unavoidable as long as both sides have parenting time. Children can grow more comfortable with the concept and gain a sense of control by helping:

• Pack for their stay;
• Choose items they want to have at their second home; and
• Create a calendar of which days they will be with each parent.

Transition

If time allows, the parent at the children’s primary residence should drop them off at the new home instead of asking the other parent to pick them up. The children will feel they are being delivered to a new home instead of being taken away from the old one. During the first stay, it may benefit the children for both parents to be involved with helping them settle into the new home. It requires the parents to temporarily cooperate with each other but will make the children more comfortable.

New Home

The children’s first stay at the new home may be overwhelming. The parent should plan familiar and comforting activities to help the children relax. To be comfortable in their second home, the children should feel that it is an extension of their other home and not just a place they are visiting. The parent can help with this by:

• Allowing the children to decorate their living space;
• Getting duplicates of some of the children’s needed items so they do not have to be packed for each stay; and
• Being respectful of the rules and punishments created in the other house.

Shared Parenting

Traveling between two homes is disruptive to children’s lives. However, it is important for the children to spend time and continue their relationships with both parents after a divorce. A Kane County divorce attorney at Goostree Law Group can help you in creating a parenting plan that benefits you and your children. Schedule a free consultation by calling 630-584-4800.

Source:

https://www.fatherly.com/parenting/introducing-kids-new-second-home-divorce/