Family law
How to sensitively manage a divorce when children are involved
When separating from your partner, it can be incredibly difficult to manage your emotions, especially around your children. In this article our experts offer advice on how to sensitively manage a divorce when children are involved.
Divorcing the other parent of your children is a situation many people never expected to be in. It is an incredibly confusing an upsetting time. Given the children involved, it can seem that much more complicated and harder to take that next step. At Slater and Gordon, we understand, and are here for you and your family. In this article we'll explore how to sensitively manage your divorce, whilst also protecting your children's emotions as much as possible.
How to talk to children about separation and divorce
Depending on the age of your children, you and your co-parent may decide to either shield your young children from what is happening, or be more open in communicating with older children. Either way, it is important to ensure your children understand this change in your relationship does not change your love for them. If the divorce is amicable enough that you and your co-parent can do this together, it can present a united front with your children.
You can choose to share as much or as little about what is happening as you like, but it is important to remember they are a neutral party, so what you are saying to them should aim to be at best, loving, but at minimum, neutral, regarding your ex-partner.
While this might feel difficult, there are plenty of other relationships in which you can show the ups and downs of your feelings such as your friends or other family members. You may also decide therapy would be helpful and a healthy way to process this enormous change in your life.
How to interact with your co-parent during a separation
Not every divorce is amicable so communicating with your ex-partner can seem daunting and difficult, but not every conversation needs to be as emotionally draining as you expect. Try keep communication neutral, focusing on facts and the future, not the disagreements of the past, using written methods like email for clarity of important topics, like agreements on child arrangements or financial arrangements, before they can be finalised by lawyers.
Having an honest conversation about how you and you ex are going to handle child arrangements and raising your children can provide a path forward you can both agree on. If there are disagreements about the way you would both raise your children, such as where the children will go to school, this can be settled with lawyers in court if needed, but this conversation will at least give you both an idea of what needs to be addressed.
Compassionate family law experts
Divorces are never in the plan, but unfortunately, they happen sometimes anyway. When life changes in ways you could not foresee, it is important to have a legal team you know you can depend on.
Our team of leading experts in family law are on hand to offer you bespoke support for any situation you and your family encounter, with compassionate advice when you need it most. Call us today on 0330 041 5869 or contact us online to arrange a callback.
