When a marriage isn’t working out, there is no need to force it and feel as if you have to stay together for the ease of your life and for your kids. Everyone deserves to be happy in life, and if it means saying goodbye to a relationship then so be it.
Divorce and kids is something that can be quite stressful and hard to handle, and we all know that kids can often blame themselves for the failure of a marriage. This is why today we want to talk to you about some of the ways you can have a successful divorce and still have a good family life with your kids this year.
Explain it to your kids.
When you make the decision to get divorced it is important to be open with your child and explain to them the reasons why this is happening and why it isn’t a bad thing. A lot of the time when a child hears of divorce they will blame themselves and this is not healthy. You should as a parent tell your child why you are divorcing and help them understand that everyone will be happier apart. It will be difficult but by being transparent you’ll be doing everyone a favour.
Set out ground rules.
It is important when you visit your divorce solicitors that you come up with a plan for who gets custody of your child and how often the other party can come and see them. If the divorce has been a tumultuous affair this can be a stressful thing, but if an amicable agreement has been made then it should be easy for you to divide your child up in time between you both. Your child deserves to see both parents so make sure that you really work to make this happen on their behalf.
Don’t force kids to choose.
It is important not to put pressure on a child of which parent they want to live with. Your child might find this too hard and it might make things ten times worse, and if they are struggling to make a choice it is better for you to step in and make it for them. This will at least give them a stable place to live for the time being and if they change their mind as they grow older, so be it.
Be civil.
It is so important not to argue in front of your kids. The adjustment to life with separated parents will be hard enough already without you both making a meal of speaking to each other. Be sure to be civil and even try to be friends for the sake of your child. Many divorced pairings actually like each other more once they split up!
It is important to remember that divorce is not the end of the world and many people go through it each year. The difference is that you can make the best of it for the sake of your family, and you can work to make it into a new chapter of your lives.
