Are you the divorcing or separating parent in Georgia of a child under the age of five? If so, you will want to learn how to best help your child during the transitions that he or she will be experiencing as you get separated or divorced from your child’s other parent. Even with a limited ability to understand what is happening, your child will be keenly aware of the fact that life is changing.
Today’s Parent explains that kids under five years old generally have little to no ability to think about the future or to connect the effects of an action to the action. They are also naturally very focused on their immediate worlds and what they experience because it is concrete to them. When you discuss any changes with your three- or four-year-old for example, you should take care to speak about those things that directly relate to your child and that he or she will experience firsthand. An example would be talking about who will pick the child up from school or who will read the child a bedtime story.
The more you and your child’s other parent can maintain consistency in a daily routine, the better for your child as this will reduce anxiety often associated with too much change at one time. You should also be prepred to answer the same sets of questions multiple times as young brains need this type of reinforcement.
If you would like to learn more about helping your young child or children through a parental divorce in an age-appropriate manner, please feel free to visit the children’s needs page of our Georgia family law website.
