Don't Divorce Us!: Kids Advice to Divorcing Parents

by Rita Sommers-Flanagan, Chelsea Elander, John Sommers-Flanagan

"A firsthand examination of the divorce experience through the eyes and voices of the children of divorce..." Intimate, humorous, touching and wise advice on divorce and its consequences from those most affected by it - the children of divorce. Based on interviews with hundreds of children and adult children of divorce, Don't Divorce Us! provides valuable insights on the steps to take to minimize or avoid the pain that divorce can bring to children. Rita Sommers-Flanagan, Ph.D. and John Sommers-Flanagan, Ph.D., are experienced counselors who have seen first-hand the effects divorce can have on children. For this book they have collaborated with Chelsea Elander, a grown child of divorce herself, to weave often-poignant interviews, stories, essays and artwork from children of divorce, with proven advice on the ways parents can bring children safely through the divorce process and the life that follows. The book provides sensible strategies for coping with the challenges of double-households, long-distance parenting, ex-spouses, parental dating, step-parenting and the many other potentially stressful issues of divorce. For any parents who are considering divorce, are in the divorce process, or have recently divorced, this book offers valuable insights into helping children through the experience.

145 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2000