Managing The Job Layoff Talk With Your Kids

By Mahak Arora - Updated: October 31, 2018

In this Article

How To Break The News of Your Layoff To Kids?

It’s difficult to find the right words when you’re trying to figure out how to talk to your child about layoff. Even as adults it’s tough to comprehend what turn your professional life may take!

How does one tell their little child that they’ve lost their job? It’s hard enough trying to accept the gravity of the situation without making your kids feel like the walls are about to collapse around them. Whether its you or your husband who’s going through a rough patch, try to stay calm when you tell your kids.

How To Break The News of Your Layoff To Kids?

1. Honesty is The Best Policy

When you’re thinking about how to talk to your child about layoff, just remember that honesty is the best policy. Kids have an uncanny way of sensing when things are not quite right. So just lay it out on the table but try and keep it age appropriate. You don’t need to go into details with pre-schoolers. Simply tell them that you are going to be home from now onwards because your work place doesn’t need you anymore. If it’s your teenage daughter or son, let them know that the company has started downsizing and you were one of the unlucky few who was let go.

2. Keep Your Emotions in Check

You don’t want your emotions getting the better of you when you get down to explaining layoffs to children. Kids are likely to become upset when they see you break down. Try to compose yourself before having that talk. Children need that calm reassurance that everything’s going to be okay even when the uncertainty of what lies ahead looms in front of you.

3. What Not to Tell

If you’ve been fired, it’s best to keep that white lie to yourself. Children don’t need to know that you were given the sack. Save that for the adults. Simply tell them that your contract ended and that you’re looking for another new job. This isn’t a good time to talk about money related issues as well. The last thing you want is your child having to worry about his parents not being able to provide for them. While you would have to explain the cutbacks in your budget at some point of time, let it be done gradually.

4. Keep Them Updated

It’s important to let your child know about the progress you make in your job search. It’s better than having them think you’re doing nothing about it as that in itself can stress them out. Your kids need to know that these difficult times are not here to stay and you’re working hard to overcome this temporary obstacle.

Some parents may or may not feel like handling the added pressure of having to tell their children about their layoff. They might think looking up ways how to explain job loss to kids can double their stress. If you want to put it off for a while, it’s perfectly fine. Just be sure that the kids don’t have to hear it from other quarters. It does ease the load when you take your children into confidence.

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