{"id":246374,"date":"2024-12-16T16:34:23","date_gmt":"2024-12-16T16:34:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dominiclevent.com\/blog\/?p=246374"},"modified":"2025-12-15T10:26:53","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T10:26:53","slug":"six-tips-for-helping-your-children-navigate-divorce-at-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominiclevent.com\/blog\/six-tips-for-helping-your-children-navigate-divorce-at-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"Six tips for helping your children navigate divorce at Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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For children of recently-divorced, or separated, parents, Christmas can be a difficult time. Seeing how 42% of marriages end in divorce<\/a> and 48% of those involve at least one child, learning how to navigate new traditions isn’t uncommon.<\/p>\n

It’s a change that Fearne Cotton will be facing after the podcast host announced the breakdown of her marriage<\/a> to Jesse Wood on Friday. The presenter, 43, who has been married to Wood since 2014, wrote on social media: “It is with a heavy heart that I let you all know that Jesse and I are ending our marriage. Our priority has been, and will always be, our children. We please ask that you respect the privacy of our family at this time.”<\/p>\n

The couple have two children together, Rex, 11 and Honey, nine, and Cotton was also a step-mum to Wood\u2019s two children from a previous relationship: Arthur, 22 and Lola, 19.<\/p>\n

Divorce can have a major impact on your child or children\u2019s mood and wellbeing and it can help to make them feel heard and supported during this big change, especially at Christmas. Relationships coach Sarah Louise Ryan<\/a> says: “The first Christmas after a divorce announcement or separation is often hardest on children as they have to accept a new reality and this comes with unknown outcomes.<\/p>\n

“Younger children who are still figuring out there emotions might need to get through the first Christmas to see how that new reality looks practically. Also, they may have to split the day and have time apart from one partner or another, which is quite difficult to handle.”<\/p>\n

Part of the anxiety about this \u2018new normal\u2019 will be the unknown, as children don\u2019t know what to expect in the new family dynamic and traditions.<\/p>\n

Try to sit with them in their emotions and make sure you have support in place too, as no two days are the same and it\u2019s the ‘first’ time you\u2019re experiencing this too, not just your kids.<\/p>\n