parenting through separation

come on kids, we're already late, let's get going! i get shotgun! no i do! we gotta get going! get in, hurry up! avery, where's your glove at? you left it in the backyard. hurry up! get in! bobby, it's melanie. where are you? i've been trying to call you and page you for the last 45 minutes. it's not like i'm going out on a date, it's not going out to lunch, it's a job interview. come on, hustle up!

(arguing) come on kids, amanda in the back seat, avery, we're already late! that's not fair! hurry up! girls, enough, please! i need you here in 15 minutes. you're watching this program because, like joel, melanie and diane, you've recentlyseparated or divorced. you might be wondering how you can helpyour children through this transition. a stressful and adversarial divorceaffects children's physical and psychological health. many children get through divorce without harm and are able to thrive.

how do families accomplish this? research shows there are certain stepsparents can take to help children successfully transition to a new familysituation. children need to be shielded fromstress and conflict. they need the security of a closerelationship with you. and they need to experiencedependable family routines throughout the divorce transition. in this program, we'll help youdevelop the skills you need to achieve these goals.

these steps will strengthen yourrelationship with yourself, improve communication with your co-parent, and help you to parent well. if you or your children have experiencedabuse, this program may not be right for you. we strongly urge you to speak to aprofessional therapist or social worker who can help you get the right kind ofsupport. in fact, we encourage any parent going through a separation or divorce transition to seek the support a family therapist orsocial worker. in this program, we present eachskill with a video and a printable summary.

you can also practice interactive exercises, guided visualizations, read about childdevelopment, and listen to audio interviews with themost current research

on successfully managing separation anddivorce. this program can help you accomplishgoals that matter to you: to protect your children and to rebuildyour life in a way that works for you.