The Parent's Guide to Divorce (How to Protect Your Child's Mental and Emotional Health through a Breakup or Separation)

For children, a good divorce is better than a bad marriage, but that doesn’t make the split any easier. Legal decisions have emotional consequences for kids and parents alike. Synthesizing more than 30 years of clinical experience, numerous case studies, and extensive research, acclaimed psychoanalyst and award–winning author Erica Komisar shows you how to make an effective plan that centers your children’s needs, including what to know about kids of different ages, how to talk about what’s happening, and how to maintain normal routines. With numerous practical strategies, this handbook helps you build a positive support system, reassure kids without invalidating their feelings, and think through age–appropriate custody arrangements. It also provides helpful guidance about effective coparenting, new partners, blended families, and other special situations. Most importantly, it offers hope for establishing the emotional security that children need for success in life.