Ending a marriage can be emotionally traumatic for everyone involved. If you and your spouse have children together, the divorce process can become even more complex. One of the main things you need to do before starting the process of dissolving your marriage is meet with an experienced divorce lawyer in DC. With their help, you can find out more about how this process works and what your rights are in regard to child custody.
The main goal you should have is to remove your children from the trauma and stress involved in a divorce. While you won’t be able to fully protect them from this situation, you can limit the emotional scars some divorces can leave. Here are some things you need to consider when trying to make divorce easier for your children.
Be Civil With Your Spouse
Thousands of children in the United States grow up in broken homes. If you see the writing on the wall that divorce is imminent, you need to set a few ground rules with your spouse from the beginning. One of the main things you need to agree to is that you will be civil with each other when the children are around. If your children see you fighting with your spouse, it can lead to long-term emotional trauma.
When potential fights arise and the children are around, work on walking away or speaking in a calm voice. By doing this, you can avoid putting your children in the middle of these disagreements. If you and your former spouse have something heated to discuss, the conversation should take place somewhere private behind closed doors.
Try To Carve Out Family Time
If you are going through a divorce during the holiday season or close to a birthday, you need to focus on keeping things as normal for your children as possible. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is by carving out time to do things as a family. For instance, host a family dinner or game night with your ex-spouse to help your children maintain a sense of normalcy.
Even though you and your spouse are dissolving your relationship, you will always be tied to them via your children. This is why you need to work on keeping things civil and friendly with your spouse. By carving out some family time, you can answer any questions or address any concerns your children may have about the impending divorce. Keeping an open dialogue with your children during this transitional phase of their lives can help to alleviate any anxiety or stress they may feel.
Avoid Trying To Buy Your Child’s Love
There are many common mistakes made by parents that are going through a divorce. One of the most common ones is attempting to buy the love of their children, whether knowingly or not. Going overboard with lavish gifts and trips will only make a bad situation worse. These situations usually lead to fights, which is why you need to focus more on spending time with your children instead of buying them things.
The average child values good times with their parents over lavish gifts and trips. While you can spoil your children on occasion, you should avoid making a habit of spending excessive amounts of money on them. This will help to level the playing field with your ex-spouse, which can minimize the chances of more fighting.
Ask for Feedback From Your Children
If you want to get an idea of how your child is feeling during your divorce, then you need to ask for their feedback. Making your children feel like they have a voice during this process is extremely important. If your child expresses concerns about certain issues involving the divorce, then you have to do all you can to address these fears.
The last thing you want is for your children to feel like they have been forgotten during a divorce. This is why you need to work hard to implement the helpful tips here. Putting your children first is also a great way to take your mind off of the hurt that accompanies dissolving a marriage. When in doubt, reach out to a professional for guidance and advice on how to help your children through this difficult time.