You must do everything you can to help your child deal with the emotions they may be feeling as a result of their mum or dad not living with them any more. You need to help them feel safe and secure in the short and longer term.
Here are some of the ways you can support your child emotionally:
- Tell your child they are not responsible for the separation or the fact that their mum or dad does not live with them.
- Listen to what your child has to say about how they feel, even if it makes you unhappy.
- If your child is too young to express their feelings in words, ask them to draw a picture about how they feel.
- Let your child know that you accept their negative feelings rather than ignoring them or making them seem unimportant.
- Give them enough time to deal with their thoughts and feelings.
- Make sure your child is not trying to look after your emotional needs.
