Anyone who is about to divorce has a lot of decisions ahead of them. Those who are parents of minor children have even more to make. One of those that is simpler than it may seem is whether to tell your child’s school you are divorcing.
You could construe a whole set of reasons as to why you should not tell the school. For example, you might consider it is none of their business, you might worry that people will judge your child for it or you might find your child does not want you telling anyone.
In most cases, the answer is simple – it is in your child’s best interests that you let the school know you are divorcing or recently divorced. Here is why.
Teachers need information to make accurate decisions
Divorce can affect kids in many ways. Some go into their shell, others turn to non-stop partying, while others appear unchanged until their school results arrive and you discover their performance has been heavily affected. While there will be those who seem to emerge unscathed, most kids will suffer some negative consequences.
Teachers who do not understand your child’s change in situation may struggle to understand why these behavioral changes have happened. Teachers who are meeting your child for the first time in the new school year may assume that is how your child always is.
You don’t need to tell the school much, but letting them know your child’s home life has recently changed due to your divorce can help them better understand the behavior they see from your child. They can offer your child extra support, cut them some slack or bring any worrying trends to your attention.
In most cases, it is in your child’s best interest to let the school know of your divorce, and that, after all, is the standard courts use when they make child-related decisions in a divorce.