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Separation and divorce are traumatic events for families.
This journal is designed to help children express, explore and understand some of the strong emotions that they may be feeling and to help them process the divorce for themselves.
Keeping a Journal is a very simple, but powerful way to support children.
As caring adults, we can help by simply acknowledging & listening to how a child may be feeling, without trying to “fix it”.
This Journal is designed to support open and honest communication and to help children feel heard, understood and supported during a time of great upheaval.
Suggestions for Parents
It’s very important to explain to your child that this is a different kind of book. This is a Journal where your child can share their feelings and thoughts or simply process what’s happening to them for themselves. It won’t be marked, they won’t be judged and it is totally up to them how they use it.
Young children may need to have the Journal read aloud to them and to do the Journal little and often.
Some children prefer to write and draw in their Journal at their own pace and in their own time. They may enjoy picking and choosing the order in which they write in it. Let your child decide for themselves how they’d like to use their Journal. They will enjoy feeling in control of the process and exploring their thoughts.
Help your child to decide a safe place to keep their Journal.
Let your child know that they can write in their Journal whenever they like.
Make sure your child has plenty of writing and drawing materials available. It’s also a good idea to buy new pens and pencils to make the Journal important and special. It helps to make the process of writing in their Journal important.
If you are reading the Journal with your child and doing it together, pick a quiet time, turn off the TV, and put away your mobile phone. Choose a private place, create a safe space and focus on really listening to your child without interrupting or making them feel judged, or guilty about what may come up. This is about helping your child feel heard, understood and supported while they go through this life changing event. Be accepting and non-judgemental. There are no right or wrong answers to their feelings and experiences. Accept everything and ponder and reflect later about what you discover.
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