People in Massachusetts may have seen a recent article about a new Sesame Street episode that addresses the sensitive issue of explaining divorce to a child. In a new web series, beloved characters from the show explain how, because of a divorce, a child now has a home with mom and a separate home with dad.

While there are many important considerations and frustrating family law minutiae to worry about during the divorce process, parents should also make it a priority to take the time to consider the emotions of a child caught up between two divorcing parents. Children are often inextricable parties in a divorce, but are usually the ones who understand what is happening the least, so parents and children alike may benefit from a simple, honest discussion on the topic.

Parents should always take great care to keep a child shielded from the potential nastiness of a divorce and things like alimony and property division don’t need to be, and most likely shouldn’t be, discussed in front of the children. But keeping a child in the loop to some degree can have its benefits. It took 44 years for Sesame Street to talk about divorce, but that doesn’t mean parents should avoid the topic with their children where the discussions are necessary.

In a contentious divorce child custody can almost seem like an inanimate prize, when at the base of it all, parents just want to spend time with their children. Parents should realize that they should be doing what is best for the child at all times, especially during a divorce. This means explaining the situation in a way that they can understand while still feeling loved and safe, and letting an experienced family law attorney handle the legal side of the situation.

Source: Christian News Network “Sesame Street: D is for divorce,” Dec. 15, 2012