Best Children's Books About Divorce

Best Children’s Books About Divorce

Divorce and separation are foreign concepts to young children. A few years ago, I heard a statistic that 75% of divorcing parents spend LESS than 10 minutes TOTAL talking about divorce/separation with their children.

WHAT?!!!

This means 75% of children of separation/divorce (who are being uprooted from their normal lives), have no idea what is happening.

Don’t Burden Your Children

I understand why a lot of adults choose NOT to tell their kids. Obviously, divorce is an adult topic and children should not be overburdened or stressed about what is happening with their kids. I believe this is the reason parents choose to avoid long discussions with their children.

So how do you have these talks? How do you explain divorce to a young child?

Counseling

Children going through huge changes in the family need counseling. They need the support. Oftentimes, parents going through these changes themselves do not have the strength. There are many, many details involved in separating finances, homes, and lives. And if it’s a contentious divorce, and lawyers and forensics are involved, it is nearly impossible because there is nothing left to give.

This is where extended family, friends, church, youth groups – can all pitch in. Community is important during a divorce.

Books to Read to Young Children (ages 0-7)

Equally foreign are BOOKS these days. Children are often left to their devices. In a fragile time, it helps to have physical books to read with them during a digital time-out.

Below are my top 7 picks for children under 7.

I Don’t Want to Talk About It by Jeanie Franz Ransom

This beautifully illustrated book uses animals to relate to their emotions.

Two Homes by Claire Masurel

This is a good pick for young children (5 and under). It highlights the positives of having two homes and encourages children to think optimistically.

Two Adventures With Mom and Dad by Kelly Chang Rickert

This book explains divorce to young children as taking separate adventures with Mom and Dad. It also highlights the positives of having two homes and reinforces the love both parents have for the child.

Mom and Dad Glue by Kes Gray

Such a cute book about a child who wishes to glue his parents back together.

Hope’s Broken Snow Globe by Kelly Chang Rickert

It’s the first Christmas after her parents’ divorce. Helping her Dad decorate for Christmas this year, a little girl named Hope finds a broken snow globe. She recalls the shouting and yelling shortly after she broke the snow globe last year. Shortly thereafter, her mom and dad stopped living together. Hope is convinced she can bring her parents back together if she can repair the snow globe.