Sometimes mums and dads decide they don’t want to live together anymore. This is called separation, and it can bring up lots of big feelings—some that you might not even have words for yet.
You might feel happy one minute and sad the next. You might feel a little bit angry, or worried, or even excited if something new is happening. You could feel all those things in one day—and that’s okay.
Here are some feelings that are really normal when your family is changing:
Sadness: You might feel upset about not living with both parents all the time.
Anger: You might feel cross and not know why. That’s okay.
Confusion: Things might feel a bit mixed-up and hard to understand.
Worry: You might wonder where you’ll live or what will happen next.
Guilt: Some children think it’s their fault. It’s never your fault.
Talking helps.
If you feel a bit wobbly inside, try talking to someone you trust. This could be a parent, grandparent, teacher, or someone at Tidal. Grown-ups are here to listen and help you feel safe and cared for.
The following video clip provides a range of smaller clips about anxiety. This might help you to make sense of some of the feelings that you are having, and maybe even begin to think about how you might cope with these.