In classrooms today, it is very common to have students who come from single parent households, blended families, or have parents who are divorced and now co-parent together. The reality is that a large percentage of children have parents who are not together.
Reading books about divorce in your classroom validates and supports students who have parents that are divorced. At the same time, it also helps students who have parents that are together because they develop empathy and an understanding of what it is like to have parents that are separated.
Every student in your classroom will benefit from having these meaningful discussions.
Here are my top 5 favorite books for discussing divorce in the classroom:
1. My Family is Changing by Tracy McConaghie
This book is amazing because it highlights specific action steps that children and families can take to help make the transition of divorce go smoothly. This book is about six different children and their stories about their parents getting divorced. The author emphasizes mindfulness strategies and also practical, tangible steps families can take to solve problems.
2. My Two Homes by Zoe Persico and Claudia Harrington
This book is about two friends, one of which lives in two homes because her parents are divorced. This book is written in story form and has a plot, which makes it even more enjoyable for kids to read. This book normalizes divorce and validates what children feel due to a divorce. There are also other books a part of this series that highlight different family and parent structures. Click here to get the book on Amazon!
3. I Have Two Homes by Marian De Smet
This book is about the logistics of a girl living in two homes because her parents are divorced. She talks about the challenges and some of the positives of her new life. This book would be great to start a discussion about divorce and the range of emotions that come with having parents who are not together. Click here to get the book on Amazon!
4. I Don’t Want to Talk About It by Jeanie Franz Ransom
This book is about a girl who is processing her parents telling her that they are getting a divorce. The girl goes through a wide range of emotions as she is coming to terms with the information. She says repeatedly throughout the story that she doesn’t want to talk about it, which is something that resonates with a lot of students, whether their parents are separated or not! Click here to get the book on Amazon!
5. A Family is a Family by Sara O'Leary
This family is a quick read that highlights all of the different family structures a child can have! The story takes place in a classroom where the students share what their families are like. The author explains that there are many different versions of families, but no matter what a family looks like, they are a family! That is clearly how the title of the book came to be. Click here to get the book on Amazon!
If you end up reading any of these books to your class, let me know what you think by sending me a message over on Instagram @always.upper.elementary or tagging me in your posts! I would love to hear about which books you enjoyed! :)
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Happy teaching!
Natalie