Parenting Perspective 

A Child’s Unspoken Awareness 

That knowing is not just in your head, it is likely something your child feels in their body long before they can name it. Children are sensitive not only to what is said, but also to the emotional climate of their household. The silence, the distance, the closed doors—it all registers. Even if they never ask directly, children are learning from what is not said, and it is your obligation to craft that message with honesty and care. 

A Strategy for Emotional Safety 

You do not need to divulge personal information, but you do need to establish emotional safety. That might sound like: “Sometimes grown-ups need space. But we are both here for you, and you are safe.” The idea is not to conceal your current situation, but to keep your child from internalising it as something frightening, shameful, or their responsibility. Allow them to ask when they are ready, and in the meantime, provide small reassurances through your tone, availability, and ongoing care. Even a strained or disrupted connection can provide stability to a child if it is handled with care and maturity. Allow your child to see that respect and compassion are still present in your home, even if intimacy has disappeared. 

Spiritual Insight 

Silence is not inherently bad; yet, when it creates walls of misunderstanding around a child, careful counsel is required. In Islam, we are encouraged to maintain trust and avoid emotional injury, particularly to those in our care. While divorce is not necessarily evil, raising a child in emotional ambiguity without reassurance can gradually destroy their sense of stability. Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Nisa (4), Verse 9: 

‘And let those people (who are the guardians and executors of orphans) be anxious; as if they had left behind them offspring who were feeble (morally and intellectually), and they were concerned about their (future); so (act in such a manner) that you may attained piety from Allah (Almighty), and speak with (the (poor and the orphans, with) appropriate words of comfort.’ 

This verse tells us that concern for our children’s mental well-being is a sort of taqwa, or God-consciousness. When we talk kindly and truthfully to keep their tranquilly, we are doing more than just parenting; we are maintaining a trust with Allah. It is recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 3689, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Allah is Gentle and loves gentleness in all things. ‘

Speak with kindness. Demonstrate that, while love can change shape, caring and mercy must never depart. That is the message your child deserves to receive.