Adjusting the Boundaries: Helping Children and Teens Cope with Separation and Divorce

This book, the 4th in the "Boundaries" series, is aimed at families facing separation and divorce. It will be enormously helpful for adults confronted with the challenges of traumatic change and the need to adjust their family's boundaries. Using her many years of practical experience in the field, highly regarded counsellor Anne Cawood will empower you to contain your children's anxiety and feelings of insecurity and to re-establish a measure of equilibrium as effectively as possible. Using loads of case studies from her extensive files, Anne highlights the how, when and where to inform your children in an age-appropriate and honest way; emotional support for you, the parent; guidance on effective parenting skills to help your children; the 'how to' of active listening, anger management and clear, firm and consistent boundary setting - all with practical examples; the legal process - with reference to the New Childrens Act - which emphasises the principle of the best interests of the child being of paramount importance; assistance with compiling co-parenting agreements - taking in to account the ages and stages of the child, as well as possible limiting factors such as the need for supervised contact; tips regarding ongoing relationships with extended family and the introduction of new partners; and, advice to step parents and parents who were never married before their separation. The book deals with emotionally difficult issues in a clear, anecdotal manner, and has an over-riding theme of positivity. There is a strong message of hope and reconciliation with the emphasis on the power of choice and the importance of mind-set change in order to move on.