Encouraging Children's Stories of Divorce

Abstract As divorce becomes more common, the problems that arise from court-ordered custody and visitation arrangements become more complex. Young children do not understand the concept of divorce. What is important to them is to have parents who are available to meet their needs. During a divorce, children often feel abandoned by both parents, and tend to blame themselves. Parents are often unaware of how their children experience divorce. The stories and creative drawing activities that accompany them help to normalize and validate children's individual feelings and open up communication between children and parents. They also help to educate parents about how a child perceives changes in the family, and offer concrete suggestions for parents to help their child adjust to changing circumstances.