One of the hardest things to do when raising a teenager is talking to them about a divorce. Even if the teenager has known or suspected for some time that the marriage is in trouble, when the decision to divorce is finally made, you will still have to break that news to your teenager.
There are several ways you can approach the subject, but the timing is just as important as how you give the news. So, the first thing you want to do is make sure that your teenager hears it from you, and not someone else. This can be especially true if you live in a neighborhood or community that operates under the auspices of an association management company.
If the impending divorce will involve a property settlement, it may be necessary to inform the association management company fairly soon after the decision is made. Although such information should not be talked outside the offices, as any information shouldn’t, the possibility that something could slip is always there. Again, your child needs to hear it from you, not someone else.
The next thing you want to do is try to break the news at a time when it will have less of an impact on school or family life. There is never a good time to break the news of a divorce. However, unless the tension is such that it is already affecting your teenager’s grades or causing problems with family or social situations, waiting until after particularly difficult times at school (such as during semester, state-mandated, or final exams) or well before or immediately after holidays may be better.
