Children who are living through their parents divorcing have to deal with a lot of changes as they adjust to a new way of life. One of the most difficult times for them will likely be the transition days because they may feel conflicting emotions.
They may feel excitement about being able to spend time with one parent, but sad about having to leave the other. Those emotions can be hard for children. It’s up to their parents to ensure they’re doing what they can to keep everything relaxed.
Transition days should be calm
Transition days, the ones where children move from one home to the other, shouldn’t be days when the children have to worry about extra stress. One of the main stressors they may be worried about is their parents fighting or arguing when they go from one parent to the other.
Contentious matters should be held until the children aren’t around. This may not be easy for the parents to do, but it’s critical because it’s in the best interests of the children. While the hand-over is occurring, all the focus should be on the children.
Parents who can’t be civil toward each other should likely avoid speaking to each other. Making transitions in a public place may be a good idea since that may keep tensions from flaring.
Parenting plans should address these transition days to ensure they’re set up in a way that benefits the children. It may be beneficial for parents to have someone assist them with setting this up properly.