You are here

How did you tell your kids you were getting a divorce?

herewegoagain's picture

I am wondering how you told your kids about the divorce especially anyone with tween boys or autistic/aspire boys... I am not sure i can continue anymore.

Comments

Anon2009's picture

I don't have bios, but I do hope you will look at these articles and talk with the people who do work with your son to provide him services, because there's a chance that they're working with other autistic/Aspergers kids who have divorced parents.

http://autism.about.com/od/copingwithautism/f/divorce.htm

http://www.pathfindersforautism.org/articles/view/telling_your_kids_your...

http://www.myaspergerschild.com/2011/11/helping-aspergers-children-throu...

As a person with AS whose parents divorced, I can say you need to be prepared for LOTS of questions. I asked my parents tons and tons of questions. My dad married my stepmother a week later so that was a HUGE upheaval in my routine. Kids need routine and continuity and that's especially true of kids with autism and AS. Granted, nobody knew about AS when I was 8. But I can tell you that time in my life was a nightmare in large part because of the enormous and sudden upheaval of my routine. Changes in routine need to be as gradual as possible and you need to give your son as much advance notice as possible when a change is going to occur. Especially in this situation.

(((HUGS))) I'm sorry you're going through this. Lots of thoughts & prayers to you and your son.

Lalena75's picture

Mine were dd 13, and ds was 7. They knew things were bad, Their dad had moved out once before that year (I threw him out after finding out he was cheating again) We tried to fix it but he really didn't want to he just didn't want to fend for himself and I was broken. When I realized I was going to follow through and hired a lawyer I called them into dd's room sat on the bed and just told them "You know things between your dad and I aren't good, we're making each other very unhappy and that's not good for us or for you. We're getting a divorce we just can't do this to our family anymore, but that doesn't mean we don't still love you and the most important thing is we will always still love you and make sure you are taken care of. Your dad and I will work out getting to see him till he gets a place of his own okay, do you have any questions?" They cried, I cried my ds hugged us girls. Then my dd said, I think it's about time you stop letting dad make you so miserable and I'm glad your divorcing him. Ds agreed.
I was stunned my kids had been miserable too and I hadn't seen it through my own feelings. Divorce was hard, I still love the man I thought my exh was but that man doesn't exist, I regret a lot of things I wish I would of done or done differently, but getting out saved my life and I know that now more than anything. If I had stayed I'd be dead right now my marriage was killing me from the inside out. You get to a point you have to leave, for you the kids won't be alright I don't care what anyone says it changes everything but just like every big change in life, every tragedy they change you and you adapt same with divorce they adapt, and so will you.