Awkward questions children ask post divorce and/or separation of their parents

grahamg

Old codger
One of the most awkward questions a child can probably ask of their parent they live with, (or possibly the other one?), is whether they ever loved their partner/wife/husband before they married them?

It is essentially asking the parent to state whether or not they were born out of love between their parents or not, and you can sympathise with those mothers, like Princess Diana, who apparently told her two boys marrying Prince Charles was a "mistake", (my ex using the same excuse or word, though she compounded her "mistake" by telling me early on in our courtship, "she wanted to have my child"!).

When I was asked whether I still loved her mother, two or three years after the split, I was by then strong enough to be able to say I no longer loved her as I did, (or words to that effect, even though it did take me two years to feel as though I could love others as much as I loved her, notwithstanding the betrayal and all the rest of it).

When asked why I felt this way by my daughter I was able to truthfully tell her I had "decided" this is how I felt, as she could then hopefully have no illusions about it, (many children secret holding on to the belief their parents might one day get back together as you may know?).

Many parents must fail this "truthfulness test" in my view, either because they wish to protect he child as they see it, or dont understand their own true feelings, (a percentage must never have loved their partner in the first place I suppose), so there are may options out there, but the questions will still be there, whether they're answered truthfully or not, or whether the parent chooses to answer their child at all.
 

I will say this can happen with any child even with parents together. Kids know..... they can see how parents react to each other.

My father died in an accident early on but..... honestly if he had lived i think it would have only been a matter of time before things fell apart.
Later in life I found out that unlike what i was told ....that relationship was not good and they lied about being some great love cut short by death.

I think it is important that kids know... as parents often grow apart...... that at one point it was a good relationship but sometimes things change.

I think honesty especially as the kids are older, is important that they can make better decisions about their relationships.
I am growing apart from my spouse and my grown kids know it .... i do not fake it and tell them things they might do to avoid this fate with their spouses. I am hoping they learn from my mistakes.
 
I will say this can happen with any child even with parents together. Kids know..... they can see how parents react to each other. (Break)
I think it is important that kids know... as parents often grow apart...... that at one point it was a good relationship but sometimes things change.
I think honesty especially as the kids are older, is important that they can make better decisions about their relationships.
I am growing apart from my spouse and my grown kids know it .... i do not fake it and tell them things they might do to avoid this fate with their spouses. I am hoping they learn from my mistakes.
Honesty is important at all times between yourself and your child of course, (though I accept sometimes the need to be "age aware" as to how much detail to impart as far as the most traumatic aspects of their parents split up, things they didn't know because they were too young I mean).
Whether anyone learns from their parents mistakes, or is bound to repeat them no matter what we tell them, (or somewhere in between?), I'd suggest the important thing is that they grow into strong/resilient, and "rounded" adults or people.
If they're a pleasure to be around, ("even when playing you up"!), and are able to form friendships easily you've done well, and if you are lucky enough to play a hand in the development of a child/adult as exceptional as my daughter undoubtedly is, you're a very lucky man/parent indeed, to boast a little! :)
 

A bit of research on thread topic:
https://www.harrisfamilylaw.com/fam...ce-info/questions-kids-ask-regarding-divorce/

Quote:

Questions Kids Ask Regarding Divorce
  • Why Does Divorce Happen? ...
  • What Did I Do Wrong? ...
  • What Can I Do To Get Them Back Together? ...
  • What Should I Do When It Feels Really Bad? ...
  • What If I Have To Go To Court? ...
  • What Will It Be Like After the Divorce? ...
  • What If They Say Things That Make Me Uncomfortable?
  • What If They Start Dating or Get Re-Married?
 

Back
Top