A Child Focused Divorce

The Huffington Post posted an article written by Risa Garon, a licensed social worker and Executive director of the National Family Resiliency Center, discussing the needs of children during and after a divorce. Below is an excerpt of the 7 tips she suggests to promote a sane and child focused divorce. Follow this link to  view the full article: www.huffingtonpost.com/risa-garon/7-tips-to-promote-a-sane-_b__1000570.html?vie

1. Understand what therapy is, what goals are and how therapists and clients work to achieve those goals. Choose a therapist you trust and support that therapist in working with your child.

2. Explain the transition in easy-to-understand ways for children; reassure them that they are loved and children can love each parent.

3. Model for your children how you want them to treat you. If you take the time to reach out and listen, you will have the answers

4. Take the money you would have spent on legal professionals in court and distribute to your children's educational accounts.

5. Each parent needs to hear the voice of their children before they make decisions about activities, access, school, religion, etc.

6. Helping parents through transitions is a life-long process. Conflict, violence and hostility don't support children; these behaviors destroy them. Every parent has a choice to take the "high road" and provide for their children the very factors that predict healthy divorce adjustment -- the number one factor being that parents don't put their children in the middle of their conflict.

7. Those of us who are parents know that it takes a village to raise children; it also takes a village to support parents through a healthy transition, one that includes letting go of the hatred, vengeance and retaliation.

(6/25/12)