“Then the next move is different,” she replied.

“Yes. Less dramatic.”

“Probably healthier for everybody.”

I laughed and returned to the file.

That evening I placed a call to the children’s school counselor.

I explained, without sharing details that belonged in a legal file, that the children had recently met an estranged parent and learned disturbing information about their family history.

I asked what support was available if any of them wanted to talk to someone outside our household.

The counselor suggested age-appropriate check-ins and reminded me not to expect all four children to respond the same way.