Parents going through a divorce often wonder how to handle things in their children's best interests. Kids themselves might have the answers.
Rosie O'Donnell's new HBO documentary "Don't Divorce Me! Kids' Rules For Parents On Divorce," which airs on Sept. 20, explores the idea that there are times when kids -- not their parents -- know best.
In the film, more than two dozen children, ranging from ages five to 10, explain to parents in interviews, drawings, handwritten rules, and photos how to make a difficult divorce easiest on kids. They offer suggestions including: "Try to make sure that your kids get both parents kind of equally," "Don't use kids as a messenger," and "Don't break our heart."
"When thinking about divorce, a child's perspective can often be left out of the equation," executive producer O'Donnell told HBO. "This film puts these kids front and center, advocating on their behalf."
O'Donnell has personal experience with the film's subject matter: she split from her ex-wife, Kelli Carpenter, in 2008, and the couple has four children together. She worked on the project with seven-time Emmy winning director Amy Schatz, with whom she collaborated in 2010 on another HBO documentary, "A Family Is a Family Is a Family."
Click through the slideshow below to see children's artistic renderings of their parents' splits.