One of the best things I have found is to reassure him that none of it is his fault, and I am here for him all the time. We must make sure that we are not making our children feel like they are responsible for our emotional well being. I do not use phrases like you make Mommy so happy, or that made Mommy angry. That is a lot of power to give a small child, control over an adults behavior. I try to stay calm, and most of all present a front of stability, even though at times I have one hand on the phone ready to book my padded cell at Bellevue.
Sanity comes in several forms.
Phone calls from them at various intervals in my week to offer the needed comfort of a shoulder to cry on, as well as a dose of good advice to get me through. There's my church. I went to my boss at work and shared what was going on in my life, as well as those I work with, who I knew could possibly be affected by my sudden life change. My boss gave me the comfort of knowing that the company would support me in every way possible. Job stability at this time is very important.