With summer barreling along, parents’ thoughts are turning to their children’s return to school. While having someone else look after them for much of the day may come as a great relief, those parents who are divorcing may have an important question on their minds. Should they tell the school about the divorce, or not?
While each situation is different, the general recommendation is that telling the school is advisable. Here are some of the reasons why.
It allows teachers to better understand your child
Parental divorce can cause children’s behavior at school to change. It can be a time of great turmoil for them, so this is no surprise. While some children show little to no noticeable behavioral changes at school, others certainly — ranging from a drop in grades to getting into trouble with teachers or classmates. If teachers understand that there are significant changes in the child’s home life, it allows them to better understand what they see and make allowances where appropriate.
It allows the school to keep you both informed
A school might only contact one parent of a married couple, assuming the message will be passed on to the other parent. Communication between divorcing and divorced parents can often be challenging, meaning messages might not get passed on. If you inform the school that you are no longer together and provide contact information for both of you, they can be sure to keep you both in the loop.
There’s a lot to consider as a divorcing parent. Getting legal guidance throughout the process can be invaluable.
