The Award Winning Divorce Journal for Kids

£14.99

(2 customer reviews)

Separation and divorce are traumatic events for families.

This journal is designed to help children express, explore and understand some of the strong emotions that they may be feeling and to help them process the divorce for themselves.

Keeping a Journal is a very simple, but powerful way to support children.

As caring adults, we can help by simply acknowledging & listening to how a child may be feeling, without trying to “fix it”.

This Journal is designed to support open and honest communication and to help children feel heard, understood and supported during a time of great upheaval.

ENTER: SUE25 on the Jessica Kingsley Publisher’s Website to receive 25% OFF 

Description

Separation and divorce are traumatic events for families.

This journal is designed to help children express, explore and understand some of the strong emotions that they may be feeling and to help them process the divorce for themselves.

Keeping a Journal is a very simple, but powerful way to support children.

As caring adults, we can help by simply acknowledging & listening to how a child may be feeling, without trying to “fix it”.

This Journal is designed to support open and honest communication and to help children feel heard, understood and supported during a time of great upheaval.

Suggestions for Parents

It’s very important to explain to your child that this is a different kind of book. This is a Journal where your child can share their feelings and thoughts or simply process what’s happening to them for themselves. It won’t be marked, they won’t be judged and it is totally up to them how they use it.

Young children may need to have the Journal read aloud to them and to do the Journal little and often.

Some children prefer to write and draw in their Journal at their own pace and in their own time. They may enjoy picking and choosing the order in which they write in it. Let your child decide for themselves how they’d like to use their Journal. They will enjoy feeling in control of the process and exploring their thoughts.

Help your child to decide a safe place to keep their Journal.

Let your child know that they can write in their Journal whenever they like.

Make sure your child has plenty of writing and drawing materials available. It’s also a good idea to buy new pens and pencils to make the Journal important and special. It helps to make the process of writing in their Journal important.

If you are reading the Journal with your child and doing it together, pick a quiet time, turn off the TV, and put away your mobile phone. Choose a private place, create a safe space and focus on really listening to your child without interrupting or making them feel judged, or guilty about what may come up. This is about helping your child feel heard, understood and supported while they go through this life changing event. Be accepting and non-judgemental. There are no right or wrong answers to their feelings and experiences. Accept everything and ponder and reflect later about what you discover.

 

 

 

Suggestions for Counsellors and Therapists

This Journal may be used in individual therapy to support the child in exploring their thoughts and emotions.

You can work through the pages systematically or go through it in themes.

The Journal can be part of a holistic approach to helping children and can be used in conjunction with play therapy, art therapy or music, dance and drama.

Some children may want to read through the Journal without participating in the drawing and writing to start with. Use the opportunity to just listen and share the questions. Don’t force them and don’t rush them.

Sometimes the Journal can help you correct misunderstandings or misinformation or confusion if your child has got the wrong end of the stick.

Keep to the facts, park up your own emotions and remember to divorce with dignity. This is not a time to criticise their other parent.

When your child is tired or has had enough, respect their wishes. Divorce is a process, not an event, and children need time to process their emotions in their own time.

Parents, teachers, counsellors or therapists may find the Journal helpful in seeing the divorce from the child’s perspective.

Suggestions for Teachers

Thousands of children experience the difficulties of divorce every year, and in spite of their parents’ best intentions, divorce always has both long term and short term effects on children.
Some children due to their circumstances, personalities or sensitivity will be particularly vulnerable to the changes that divorce inevitably brings.

This Journal is an entirely new way to help children through a divorce. The activities in this Journal will teach children some new emotional and social skills, empowering them with ways of coping so they can become more resilient.

Children learn emotional intelligence skills just like they learn academic or sporting skills – through practice, encouragement and patience.
Some aspects of this Journal can be done alone, in small groups, some can be done with your support, or some can be done with the child’s parents.

Some children whose parents are divorcing will experience depression, anxiety, anger or behavioural problems. Some children will cope better than others, but if you are at all concerned with a child then seek professional help for them.

There is no right or wrong way to use this Journal and it may take several years for a child to feel life is ‘normal’ after experiencing a divorce. A positive, respectful, patient approach is all that’s needed.

When a class has a number of children from a separated or divorced family, sharing a book with the whole group can help children begin to talk about their individual situations with their school peers, free from finger pointing, judgement or criticism. 2

It’s not a good idea to point out the children in the class from a separated or divorced family, but rather to allow them to speak up for themselves if they feel comfortable.

Children using the Journal in a classroom setting should never feel that it will be marked, judged or openly discussed unless they feel that they want to share their thoughts and feelings with others. It’s not a school book.

It is reassuring to a child to know that they are not the only ones going through this experience.

This Journal will elicit strong emotions from some children, so create a safe space for a child to express themselves openly.
Using the Journal may help you to identify a child who is struggling, and may need extra support and who would also benefit from being referred to a trained counsellor or therapist.

This Journal can be used individually, either by a teacher with the permission of the child’s parents, or by recommending the Journal to a parent for use at home.

It’s important for children to feel supported, heard and understood at this challenging and stressful time. My ‘Divorce Journal for Children’ is an important way to help, support & nurture them through the process.

 

ENTER: SUE25 on the link to Jessica Kingsley Publisher’s Website to receive 25% OFF

Recommendations:

When a family hits a storm, parents can be so keen to want their kids to be ok that they can miss listening to their children and validating their experience. This book is an excellent tool for children and parents to work through difficult feelings and thoughts, bringing understanding at such a challenging time. Often, children can have a deep seated belief that it is their fault; this journal is an excellent tool to address these issues and help children build a coherent narrative of their own story. –Tanya Gordon, Psychotherapeutic Counsellor

Sue has created a unique journal for children who experience divorce. It is important that children are able to express their feelings during this difficult time for the whole family. In the divorce journal for kids, children can write down their thoughts and feelings and share this with their parents. I will 100% share this bespoke journal with parents and schools. – Laura Henry-Allain MBE, Award winning International speaker, writer (Creator of the JoJo and Gran Gran characters) and consultant

As a parent advisor, I recommend Sue Atkins’ ‘Divorce Journal’ to families on a regular basis. It’s the only resource I have found that deals with the emotional and practical aspects of a divorced/fragmented family with the child at the centre. This carefully constructed journal really does cover every aspect – it’s extremely useful for both parents and for therapists working with children. I’ve had such positive feedback from clients and fellow counsellors. It’s easy to use, very child friendly and has great results. — Jo Fitzgerald Mental Health First Aid Trainer & Founder of Tiny Sponges & Primary2Secondary

It provides a realistic way to help – an opportunity for children to reflect on their feelings, talk to their parents and feel valued. – Georgina Durrant, founder of The SEN Resources Blog and author of 100 Ways Your Child Can Learn Through Play

‘The Divorce Journal For Kids is a wonderful and welcome resource for children whose parents are separating. Given the high percentage of kids who don’t tell their parents what they’re thinking and feeling when going through this experience, a creative ‘space’ to write it all down really encourages and helps them express their behaviours and responses, building emotional awareness and intelligence at the same time. It’s packed with positive reinforcement and vital reassurance which is just what they need most during the difficult time of family transition.’  Nicola Withycombe, Founder & CEO Kids Come First® c.i.c. Separated Parent Support & Teaching Workshops
A perfect resource to empower children to manage their feelings and emotions through a divorce, so they are able to ‘be’ with their experience more, process what’s happening better and a resource from which, more understanding conversations can happen with parents. – Tosh Brittan, Founder of Divorce Goddess

“I can’t really say it mummy but I know how to draw it.” Molly Roberts  aged 6

“This is a great way to support my 2 kids at a difficult time, I highly recommend it.” –  Rohan Patel father of 2

“As a mother of two angels who experienced their parents’ divorce as well as a public divorce due to the media which does not understand that sometimes it is appropriate to leave a family private in difficult times like this, I totally vouch for this initiative! thanks @SueAtkins” – Tessy Antony de Nassau -(formerly Princess Tessy of Luxembourg)

Also endorsed by Fundamentally Children and Dr. Amanda Gummer

2 reviews for The Award Winning Divorce Journal for Kids

  1. Nicola Ingram

    Working as a divorce lawyer for many years, I have often listened to parents as they have struggled to address the subject with their younger children.
    Sue’s journal is just wonderful at helping parents to address and positively involve their children through an always difficult process.
    Thoroughly recommended.

  2. Laura Henry-Allain

    Sue has created a unique journal for children who experience divorce. It is important that children are able to express their feelings during this difficult time for the whole family. In the divorce journal for kids, children can write down their thoughts and feelings and share this with their parents. I will 100% share this bespoke journal with parents and schools.

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