Parents going through divorce often ask me about resources available to help their children.
Here are a few resources that my clients have found beneficial when they and their family are going through divorce.
- Sesame Street – The Committe for Children has been a resource for all the years since Sesame Street became a part of our culture. It is no wonder that they are leaders in getting helpful information to children and their families about how to manage divorce:
- Little Children/Big Challenges: Divorce: For ages 2-8
- https://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/topicsandactivities/toolkits/divorce:
- FREE materials include:
- Multimedia resource kit with a Sesame Street DVD, a Guide for Parents and Caregivers, and a Children’s Storybook
- All resources available for download
- Sesame Street: Divorce app for adults to use on tablets and phones, available on Google Play, the App Store, and the Amazon for Kindle Fire.
- youtube.com/SesameInCommunities featuring playlists of videos related to the initiative.
For more information, e-mail divorce@sesame.org
2. Split: The Film About Divorce (do not confuse with the horror movie, Split)
Split: The Film, for children ages 6-12, is a movie featuring 12 children who experienced divorce. It is from the children’s perspective, no experts, no adults, just children. A review from School Library Journal says this about the film: Gr 1–6–This excellent film shows a diverse group of children aged 6-12 in all of their vulnerability and strength. They are on-camera individually responding to questions or prompts that viewers don’t hear.
Brightly colored animation draws the audience in and helps to explain what the children are saying. The animation divides each of the discussion points that are touched on, such as families (of all kinds), change, feelings, wondering why the divorce happened, stuck in the middle, being shuttled back and forth between parents, and more.
Almost all of the children exhibit a maturity about being a child of divorce, with comments like “nobody’s perfect, nothing is perfect” or “it’s like when something you love breaks.” Some of the kids are still processing the divorce, while others seem to have adapted. Occasionally it is obvious that counseling has been part of the process. This very well done film can be used by children and their parents as a discussion starter, or by counselors working with individual children or groups.–Ann Brownson, Eastern Illinois University
Trailer for the film: https://www.splitfilm.org/watch_trailer.html
For home use, this film can be rented for $5.99 for three days or purchased for $29.00.
3. Books for children whose whose family is going through divorce:
Meet Max, by Jennifer Leister, LPC
Max Meet Emma, by Jennifer Leister, LPC
Chip, The Puppy with Two Homes, by Jodi Hassler, MA, LPC
Divorced But Still My Parents (for Children grades 1-7, age 6-12), by Shirley Thomas, Ph.D.
Dinosaurs Divorce, by Mark Brown
It’s Not Your Fault, Koko Bear, by Vicky Lansky, author of Divorce Book for Parents
The Invisible String, by Patrice Karst
And one of the best gifts you can give your child, if you are going through a divorce, is to protect them from the conflict of litigation (court). Please research and talk to attorneys who have been trained and have experience in Collaborative Divorce and consider this option for your family, if you must go through a divorce.
