As a parent, you want to do everything you can to help your child thrive. But what if one of your child’s parents is absent? This can be a difficult situation for both you and your child.

Here are some tips on how to help your child deal with an absent parent:

1. Be honest with your child about the situation. Don’t try to sugarcoat things or make promises that you can’t keep. Explain to your child why the other parent is absent, and answer their questions honestly.
2. Validate your child’s feelings. It’s okay for your child to feel sad, angry, or confused. Let them know that it’s normal to feel these things, and that you’re there for them.
3. Be patient. It takes time for children to adjust to an absent parent. Be patient with your child, and don’t expect them to get over it overnight.
4. Create a stable and loving home environment. This is more important than ever when your child is dealing with an absent parent. Make sure your child feels loved, supported, and safe at home.
5. Encourage your child to talk about their feelings. Let your child know that you’re always available to listen, and that they can talk to you about anything.
6. Help your child find healthy ways to cope with their feelings. This could include talking to a therapist, journaling, or participating in activities that they enjoy.
7. Don’t badmouth the absent parent. This will only make things worse for your child. If your child asks questions about the absent parent, answer them honestly but avoid saying anything negative.
8. Encourage your child to maintain a relationship with the absent parent, if possible. This may be difficult, but it’s important for your child to have a relationship with both of their parents, if possible.

In addition to the above, a support group can also help the parent to:

• Validate their feelings. It can be helpful to hear from other parents who understand the range of emotions that a parent may be feeling, such as sadness, anger, guilt, and loneliness.
• Learn from others’ experiences. Other parents in the group may have found creative ways to cope with the absence of a parent, such as finding new activities for their child or connecting with other single parents.
• Feel less alone. It can be comforting to know that other parents are going through the same thing. The support group can provide a sense of community and support.

If you are a parent of a child with an absent parent we encourage you to take advantage of our support group. These are parents dealing with similar situations and who have been exactly where you are.