Telling a child about a separation
What you say, how, and what you don't — prepared in advance and agreed between the parents.
What it’s for
A child remembers this conversation. Improvising in a tense moment produces sentences that can’t be taken back later.
How to prepare
- Tell them together, on a calm day, not after an argument.
- Three sentences that must be said: it isn’t your fault, we both love you, we’ll tell you what is going to change.
- Be concrete: where they’ll sleep, when they’ll see each of you, what stays the same.
- No details about the reasons, and no blaming the other parent.
- Say that you’ll talk about it again — one conversation isn’t enough.
