Thousands of children will experience the stress of divorce every single year - and, while how they react depends a lot on their age, the circumstances, and their personality, it also has a lot to do with how you tell them.
Taking to Whisper, the anonymous confessions app, these anonymous posters revealed how they found out that their parents were seeking a divorce.
What they had to say share was heartbreaking.
![How did your parents break the news that they were getting divorced? ]
![My mum ran away to another country with her lover. She came back eventually. ]
![mom walked out said she had had enough of being married and being a mother. ]
![My mom just left. And dad had to try to explain. I was 5. ]
![mom baked a cake and put a note in it saying "dad gets you on the weekends"]
![I was 7, My dad told me we were going on "vacation" without Mom.. A vacation that lasted forever.]
![I asked my mom if my dad loved her anymore when I was like 8 and they just told me straight up]
![When I was 5 I was handed a box and told to put some toys in it for dads new house. ]
![My dad sat me down and said "your mom is taking your brother and your staying with me"]
![I was getting ready to go out with some friends, and walked in on my dad balling his eyes out]
So how should we tell our children that we are seeking a divorce?
Well, according to experts at Kids Health, we should always be up front and honest about our plans.
They explain: “Although there's no easy way to break the news, if possible have both parents there for this conversation.
“It's important to try to leave feelings of anger, guilt, or blame out of it.
“Practice how you're going to manage telling your kids so you don't become upset or angry during the talk.”
They add: “The discussion should fit the child's age, maturity, and temperament. But it should always include this message: What happened is between mom and dad and is not the child's fault.
“Most kids will feel they're to blame even after parents have said that they're not. So it's vital for parents to keep giving this reassurance.”
They go on to advise that children should be given enough information to prepare them for the upcoming changes in their lives 0- and that questions should be answered as truthfully as possible (although details such as ‘who’s to blame’ should be avoided).
Giving examples of what they mean by this, they say: “With younger kids, it's best to keep it simple. You might say something like: "Mom and dad are going to live in different houses so they don't fight so much, but we both love you very much."
“Older kids and teens may be more in tune with what parents have been going through, and might have more questions based on what they've overheard and picked up on from conversations and fights.”
As parents, the questions you should be prepared to answer include:
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Who will I live with?
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Where will I go to school?
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Will I move?
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Where will each parent live?
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Where will we spend holidays?
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Will I still get to see my friends?
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Can I still do my favourite activities?
And remember: never use your child as a shoulder to cry on, or to vent to - remember, they need to maintain a good relationship with their other parent.
Do you have any tips for parents on how to tell their children they are going through a divorce?
Share them via Facebook or Twitter (@CloserOnline) now.