Many parents in North Carolina are incredibly concerned about the well-being of their children as they approach a divorce. It is no secret that watching parents divorce can have a severe psychological impact on children. Indeed, many parents avoid divorce entirely to shield their children from these adverse effects, even when it is blatantly clear that their marriage has failed.
However, children also struggle when parents clearly no longer want to be together and remain married anyway. While it is true that a divorce can be a difficult chapter in a child’s life, there is no sense in delaying the inevitable. If you are careful, you can move forward with your divorce and use many effective tactics to protect the psychological well-being of your children. In the end, it is possible to pursue a positive outcome for everyone involved, and your children can live happy and healthy lives after the end of your marriage.
One of the best ways to limit any potential negative effects on your children is to work with an experienced divorce attorney in North Carolina. If you can handle the legal process efficiently and confidently, there will be less confusion and stress for the entire family. You can also avoid long, drawn-out custody battles and disputes over child support, which can make children feel like they are the source of the problem.
Do Not Expose the Children to ConflictIf you want to limit unnecessary strife for your children, you should do your best to shield them from conflict. This may be difficult to accomplish, as long-standing disputes between spouses can be pretty intense. In some situations, parents may not even want to be in the same room together. However, you can still avoid unnecessary stress on the children by communicating professionally and courteously.
You do not have to like each other to communicate without animosity. You can also improve communication by acting through intermediaries, such as divorce attorneys. Your attorneys can pass messages back and forth, giving your children the impression that you and your spouse communicate normally.
Both Parents Should Be Involved in the Child-Raising ProcessIf you are approaching your divorce with the intent of preventing your former spouse from ever seeing your children again, you might want to rethink things. First of all, it is actually illegal to prevent a parent from seeing their children. Secondly, experts agree that in order for a child to maintain optimal mental health, they need to have both parents involved in their life - at least to some degree.
This does not mean that you have to work together with your spouse to raise the children, but it does mean that you will need to keep an open mind as you head into the divorce. A judge will probably grant shared custody if your spouse has committed serious marital misconduct, child abuse, or some other unforgivable offense. This means that you and your spouse will each continue to play a role in raising your children. This is in their best interests from a psychological point of view.
Do Not Use Your Children as Bargaining Chips If you want to limit the psychological impact of a divorce on your children, do not make them feel like they are the source of any conflict. Many children blame themselves for the breakup of their parent’s marriage - even before things like child support and child custody are taken into account. These feelings can intensify when they discover that their parents are arguing over who should get custody. They may also find that arguments are occurring over child support payments. This can also make them feel like they are the source of the problem. Wait Before Pursuing a New Relationship In the early stages of a divorce, waiting before pursuing a new relationship is often a good idea. There may be legal consequences for this type of behavior, as a new relationship can affect things like child custody and other aspects of your divorce. But it can also affect a child’s psychological well-being, as they may be unable to handle so many new developments in such a short space of time. Enlist the Help of a Qualified Attorney TodayIf you have been searching for a qualified, experienced divorce attorney in North Carolina, look no further than Arnold & Smith, PLLC. Our legal knowledge and experience can help you wrap up your divorce efficiently and dignifiedly, putting less stress on the entire family. While our expertise is in legal matters and not child psychology, it is clear that long, drawn-out legal battles may place unnecessary hardships on young ones. The best way to avoid this is to work with attorneys who can address any disputes with constructive legal strategies. Reach out and book your consultation today.