I would like to know if anyone out there has any advice for my current situation. I am a divorced mother of two children, 7 and 5. WE have become great friends with another family and now they are moving away. My ex moved away about 4 months ago and does not keep in touch with the children. While they are hurt by this and miss him, they have never fallen apart. Now that their friends are moving, they are falling apart. We will keep in touch, but I think that they are experiencing these two events too close together and they are afraid. It is hard on all of us, but I want to make it as easy as possible on them. This whole divorce has been terrible on them both, especially my 7 y.o. son. Any advice would be appreciated.

Sorry to hear about all that. Loss is hard to deal with, I know. Maybe you can try and keep them preoccupied with something new to give them a new perspective? A new organization, hobby, event. Ever thought about Big Brothers and Sisters?

I don't have very good advice on this. Sorry. In time they'll become stronger little kids.

I completely understand where you are coming from. My children are 7, 5, and 3. We hard a hard time with the breakup of my marriage. We bonded with another family, the children are extremely close to the father in this family. We even call him their step-in-dad. They have children 5,3 and 4 months. Best friends of mine.

I had thought about moving away, starting over, but that family kept us here. Well since she had the baby, they have thought about moving to Florida (we live on the NC/SC state line).

I like you don't know exactly what I will do. I few of the suggestions that I got, where to get involved with my church (if you don't go to church, you may want to start, or maybe boyscouts, the YMCA, a sport group, etc.) Let the children become involved in something new, meeting new people. Create new and different things for them, things different from what you did with this family.

That way if say you always had pizza and watched a movie with them, if you continued to do that, they would miss their presence. So instead say you go to a park for a picnic, or have library day, etc.

Unfortunately it is a lesson in life. Many people do come and go. Have them learn that there is a reason for the season. That family was brought into your life at that time to help you to cope, and get past it. Maybe it's now time for you to learn how to stand on your own.

I know it's hard. I suffer from depression, I don't know how to function half the time. I my closest family lives 10hrs away and that's my mom who is confined to a wheelchair. Please feel free to email directly. I'll keep you in my prayers.

Thank you for the advice. We are involved in other things which I know will help, but unfortunately, this family was basically involved in everything we were. We are thanking God for their presence in our lives and praying for them as they move away. I am trying to explain that it will be hard on them too. They will be okay, I know, but I feel so awful about all they are going through. Does it ever get easier? I am a stay at home wanna-be. I work at 2 sort of stay at home businesses, but it takes time away from them. I guess that I just have this guilt about what they have to go through. I always feel this way. I try not to let them see this though as I do not want them to learn to play this against me. Anyway, thanks.

It does get easier after time. After moving to GA from FL. My girls, 10 and 11, had to adjust to a new school, the moving away from their father and all the uncles & cousins, and all their friends. It was hard on them and after about 3 months, they are finally getting to meet new friends at school. They do still have days were they are depressed, but they're less frequent.

I found the main thing that helps them is to get them involved in as many things as possible. It helps them to keep their minds off of it. Another thing that is good for them is let them keep open communication with the friends they left behind. My girls call them once a week and loves to send post cards. I let them use the camera to take pictures of funny things to send as well. I make it into a game for them and they love it.

I know the feeling of guilt you have. I live through it everyday myself, but you can't let it take the best of you. Do the best that you can and as long as they keep in touch with them, it'll become easier. Good luck!