Minneapolis/St. Paul Divorce Real Estate: Things to Do with Your Children During Home Showings

Selling A Home
Written By Shannon Lindstrom

Selling a marital home in Minneapolis or St. Paul during a divorce is never easy, especially when children are involved. The process often requires frequent home showings to potential buyers, and while it’s an important step toward a fresh start, it can disrupt your children’s sense of routine and stability. Planning ahead can help transform these temporary inconveniences into opportunities for quality family time.

Below are thoughtful, local-focused ideas for what you and your children can do during home showings in the Twin Cities, while also helping to reduce stress during this transitional chapter.

Embrace the Outdoors

The Minneapolis–St. Paul metro offers countless opportunities to step outside and reset. If a showing is scheduled on a nice day, heading to a park can be a great way for your kids to enjoy some play while you get some fresh air.

  • Como Park (St. Paul): Explore the zoo and conservatory, which are free and provide a fun distraction for children of all ages.

  • Lake Harriet (Minneapolis): Walk around the lake, let your kids enjoy the playground, or grab a snack at the bandshell concession stand.

  • Minnehaha Falls Park: A short walk to the waterfall can feel like a mini adventure right in the city.

Visit a Family-Friendly Indoor Destination

Minnesota weather doesn’t always cooperate, especially in the fall, winter, and spring months. Having indoor options in mind can be a lifesaver.

Keep It Simple with Everyday Errands

Showings don’t always line up with your weekend plans or leisure time. If you can’t commit to a longer outing, consider tackling practical tasks that still help you get out of the house.

Create Calm with Short & Flexible Activities

Sometimes, you’ll only need to step out for 30 minutes. In those cases, simple and low-key activities can make a big difference:

  • Go for a short walk around the neighborhood together.

  • Spend time coloring or doing puzzles at a community center.

  • Treat your children to ice cream at Grand Ole Creamery or Sebastian Joe’s.

Turn It into a Parenting Opportunity

While the logistics of home showings are challenging, these moments offer children reassurance and connection. Explaining—in age-appropriate ways—why you’re leaving the house for buyers to visit can help them feel included rather than unsettled. Framing the time as an “adventure” or “family outing” can turn a potentially stressful situation into something fun and even memory-making.

Navigating divorce and selling the family home simultaneously can feel overwhelming. But with a plan in place, showings don’t have to be a source of tension. In fact, they can give you a much-needed chance to spend quality time with your children, explore the Twin Cities community, and create comforting routines in an otherwise uncertain period of transition.

If you’re considering selling your Minneapolis or St. Paul home during a divorce, working with a real estate professional who understands the unique challenges of divorce real estate can make the process smoother for everyone involved.

Shannon Lindstrom, Realtor®, CDRE®, MILRES, MRP, VCA
RE/MAX Results – Minneapolis & St. Paul Metro
7373 Kirkwood Court No, Ste. 300
Maple Grove, MN 55369
Direct: 612-616-9714
Lindstrom_S@msn.com
Shannon@ShannonLindstromRealtor.com
www.ShannonLindstromRealtor.com
www.ShannonLindstrom.info
https://www.ilumniinstitute.com/cdre/shannon-lindstrom
www.MNDivorceRealEstateExpert.com



Shannon Lindstrom

Shannon Lindstrom is a Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert (CDRE®) and Realtor® with RE/MAX Results who specializes in the sale of residential property in divorce and family law matters throughout Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and surrounding communities across Minnesota. With more than 22 years of residential real estate experience in the Twin Cities, Ms. Lindstrom serves as a trained neutral — not an advocate for either spouse — bringing a disciplined, process-driven approach to what is often the most consequential asset in a divorce.

Ms. Lindstrom earned her CDRE® designation through the Ilumni Institute in 2023, is continuing her training through the CDRE® Master Program, and completed Collaborative Divorce training through the Collaborative Law Institute of Minnesota in 2026. This training equips her to work fluently across litigated, mediated, and collaborative matters—from low-conflict, cooperative sales to high-conflict, court-ordered dispositions—and to integrate seamlessly with attorneys, financial neutrals, mediators, mental health professionals, and the broader divorce team.

Her work is distinguished by three strengths family law professionals consistently rely on: clear, defensible documentation that holds up through negotiation, mediation, and trial; calibrated pricing and listing strategy grounded in current Twin Cities market data and built to withstand opposing scrutiny; and a calm, structured communication protocol that reduces friction between spouses, manages occupancy and showing logistics, and keeps the transaction on the court's timeline rather than the conflict's. Whether a file involves court-ordered sales, delayed cooperation, valuation disputes, or contested listing decisions, she approaches every matter with neutrality, precision, and steady professionalism.

With specialized training in divorce real estate and collaborative methodology, and a reputation for composure under pressure, Ms. Lindstrom is a trusted residential real estate resource for attorneys and divorce professionals handling Minnesota family law matters.

 

 

https://www.MNDivorceRealEstateExpert.com
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