Fun Ways To Stay Close With Your Kids After Divorce
Divorce makes for a sticky situation. It almost always involves the whole family, and it can get tricky trying to keep everyone together and happy. Use these fun ways to stay close with your kids after divorce to keep you and your kids feeling good about where life is heading.
Story Time
Your children might have many questions about why their parents got a divorce. A great way to broach the topic of divorce is through the art of storytelling. Many children’s books cover the topic and make for a nice transition to the subject of splitting up with your partner.
A few children’s books that discuss divorce are The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead or Two Homes by Claire Masurel.
Drawing and Crafts
Not every child is the same, and each will handle the situation differently. Many times, the child won’t know how to communicate their feelings. Having your child draw pictures will help you understand them and their feelings better.
Role Play and Dress Up
Encouraging role-play and dress-up allows your child to forget about their current world. Many children use this as an escape from what is happening around them. Join in on the fun and role play with your kids; they’ll soon be forgetting their troubles.
Physical Activity Outside
Children have endless amounts of energy, and an excellent way to burn some of that energy is through playing outside. Grab a soccer ball, jump rope, or rollerblades and start a new activity with your child. You could even distract them from the current family situation by teaching them how to ride a bike.
FaceTime and Communication
You won’t always get to spend time with your children. When they are staying with their other parent for an extended period, use this as an opportunity to keep communicating.
Staying connected and up to date on what your child is doing while away will give you peace of mind and make your child feel good knowing you miss them. A 4G kids GPS watch is a brilliant way to stay connected and keep an eye on your child when they’re elsewhere.
Time Capsule
Creating a time capsule is a fun way to stay close with your kids after a divorce. This activity can work for any age group and can even be fun for parents to participate in. Decorate a shoebox and toss in some of their favorite belongings and notes to look back on. Have a joyful time getting dirty burying the capsule.
You and your kids are going through a lot; don’t beat yourself up if everything doesn’t happen exactly as you’d envisioned. It’s okay to make mistakes and be vulnerable in front of your children, as long as you validate their feelings and support them. Stay close with your children through the divorce, and everything will work itself out for the better.
