My teenager blames me for the divorce. Help.
My 15-year-old won't speak to me. She thinks the divorce is my fault. I don't want to badmouth her dad but I also don't want to take all the blame.
Please readThis is a community space for sharing personal experience — it is not legal advice, and posts here are not from Lawma or your attorney. We strongly encourage you to post under an anonymous handle, keep questions general, and avoid posting private details of your active case. For advice about your own situation, message your attorney.
My 15-year-old won't speak to me. She thinks the divorce is my fault. I don't want to badmouth her dad but I also don't want to take all the blame.
What helped us: 'I understand you're angry. The divorce is hard for everyone. I'm not going to talk to you about the reasons because those are between adults. I love you, I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere.' Repeat. For months. She came back when she was ready.
A family therapist who specialized in teens was the bridge for us. The teen could vent to a neutral adult and the therapist coached me on how to listen without defending.
Around the case
Other things people in your situation usually need to handle. Some are paid partners; some are free community resources — labeled clearly.
Sesame Workshop — Divorce toolkit
Talking-to-kids resources · Free
Free professional toolkit for explaining family changes to young kids — videos, conversation starters, printable activity sheets.
Browse the toolkit →Warmlight Therapy
Telehealth therapy · Sliding $40–$160 / session
Sliding-scale, telehealth and in-person. Therapists with experience in divorce, custody, parenting, and trauma.
Book a session →OurFamilyWizard
Co-parenting app · $144 / year
Court-accepted shared calendar, expense ledger, and tone-checked messaging for high-conflict co-parenting. Used in 75 countries.
Start free trial →Share what helped you. Be kind — and remember this is your experience, not legal advice.
Please readThis is a community space for sharing personal experience — it is not legal advice, and posts here are not from Lawma or your attorney. We strongly encourage you to post under an anonymous handle, keep questions general, and avoid posting private details of your active case. For advice about your own situation, message your attorney.