Key Takeaway
Helping your child stay connected to family, friends, and community through positive relationships and activities fosters belonging and resilience during a separation.
Get Help
If you identify as an Indigenous person and want to connect with your community, try visiting your local Friendship Centre, or use this website to get the contact information of your Nation or Band.
Remember
Engaging in extracurricular activities helps kids develop positive relationships, learn new skills and build self confidence.
Kids are extra vulnerable when they go through tough times like their parents separation. Empower your kids to stay safe by teaching them about tricky people, online safety and healthy relationships.
Tricky People
Children may encounter tricky individuals who try to take advantage of their vulnerability during or after a divorce. These individuals might attempt to exploit the child's emotions or circumstances. Teach kids to recognize signs of manipulation, such as excessive friendliness or secrecy.
Online Safety
Amidst the changes and emotional upheaval of divorce, children might seek solace or distraction online. However, the internet can also be a place where predators lurk. Educating kids about online safety, including privacy settings, avoiding sharing personal information, and being cautious about interacting with strangers online, helps safeguard them from potential risks.
Healthy Relationships
Divorce can impact children's perceptions of relationships and trust. Teaching them about healthy relationships, ones based on mutual respect, communication, and boundaries, is important. This knowledge equips them to identify and navigate healthy interactions with peers, family members, and other adults.
Make sure you speak with other people involved in the children’s lives to let them know about the change happening in the family. It is important that friends, teachers, counsellors, and coaches are aware so they can support your child.
Extended family members who are close to the children can also offer important emotional support, provided that they do not openly “take sides”.