Discuss the below:
1. What You Need to Know: Learning About Effects of Divorce on Children
As you read, take notes on information that you think is important to share with parents and other significant family adults, including what infants, toddlers, and preschoolers understand about divorce and how they may respond.
2. Ideas and Advice: Checking Resources
Based on what you have been learning, think concretely about how best to help the parents and family members of an infant, a toddler, and a preschooler. Check your notes from reading the articles above. As needed, skim the articles again, looking for ideas and resources to share with parents and other significant adults. Access the articles below as additional resources.
Divorce: A Parents' Guide for Supporting Children
Facts for Families: Children and Divorce (
3. Taking Action: Supporting a Family Experiencing Separation and Divorce
With knowledge and ideas in hand, you're ready to take action to support young children by talking with the significant adults in their lives.
Use the information and advice from the articles to make your plan. Think of it as preparing a script for meeting with the parents or other significant family adults. Include the following in your plan:
Part I: Supporting an Infant
Explain in your own words:
• Developmental information about what an infant may feel or understand about a separation and divorce
• Possible ways that an infant may respond
• Specific suggestions from experts on how to help an infant through a separation and divorce
Part II: Supporting a Toddler
Explain in your own words:
• Developmental information about what a toddler may understand about a separation and divorce
• Possible ways that a toddler may respond
• Specific suggestions from experts on how to help a toddler through a separation and divorce
Part III: Supporting a Preschooler
Explain in your own words:
• Developmental information about what a preschooler may understand about a family separation and divorce
• Possible ways that a preschooler may respond
• Three specific ideas or activities that the family can do to help a preschooler through a divorce and separation