I Don't Want to Talk about It: A Story about Divorce for Young Children

When a child's parents tell her they have decided to divorce, the last thing she wants to do is talk about it. Instead, she wants to roar like a lion so she can't hear their painful words, or turn into a fish and hide her tears in the sea, or even become a bird and fly away. But with her parents' help, she learns that while some things will change, many other things, especially their love for her, will remain the same. In a "Note to Parents, " Philip Stahl, PhD, a psychologist specializing in divorce and custody issues, explains children's common reactions to divorce and offers parents suggestions for helping their children adjust to the changes in ways that are healthy and positive.