Divorce is never easy. Even when both sides have reached the mutual conclusion that separating would be for the best, it can still take its toll on everyone involved. And things can get even messier if there are children in the picture. In this case, you have to prioritize their wellbeing above everything else and ensure that the divorce would not impact them that harshly. But in the end, no matter what you do, you have to be prepared for the fact that this is going to have an impact one way or another.
Minimize Unnecessary Conflict
A collaborative divorce process can be a highly beneficial option for couples who are willing to reach a mutual and fair resolution to their divorce without going to court. This is an alternative to a contested divorce which can get messy if both parties don’t reach an agreement on key issues, such as property division. A collaborative divorce is used to promote open communication and cooperation between the spouses which is particularly favorable if the divorcing couple will need to continue to interact, for example, if they have children and share custody. In essence, this approach is used to minimize conflict for an amicable split.
Take Some Time Apart Before Initiating the Proceedings
It can be useful to take some time for yourself before the divorce proceedings have even started. This will allow both sides to evaluate things from a clear perspective, without letting emotions come into play. It might, albeit rarely, also lead you to the realization that this is not actually what you want. But in any case, spending more time around the other person once you’ve made the decision to split can only hurt both of you. Once you know for certain that you want to divorce, make sure that you both get some breathing room. Normally, this happens without any difficulty, but that doesn’t mean things still can’t take a strange turn. For example, a person could seemingly disappear off the face of the Earth to perhaps avoid having to face the divorce (or, at least, being served the divorce papers). Should this happen, a Confidential person tracing service can help locate the missing individual so that the divorce can proceed.
Arrange on a Plan for Your Child
Divorcing when you’ve already had a child together is never easy. You have to take special precautions to ensure that the divorce won’t be that harsh on them, but you must also remember that they’re still young and see things from a different perspective. That said, don’t expect your kids to understand why you’re doing this. You might also find yourself facing some blame from them. You have to be patient and take their feelings into consideration first and foremost. Talk about everything that’s going on, and make sure that their voice is heard when it comes to major decisions.
Custody arrangements are a particularly tricky topic. It’s important to work with a good child custody law firm to ensure that you will not forget any crucial details. Ideally, you’ll want a partner like Fullenweider Wilhite, a firm with specific experience in child custody disputes. Working with a child custody law firm like them will give you the peace of mind that your case is being handled by someone who knows exactly what to expect at each step.
Be Prepared to Make Some Compromises
No matter how you might see things on your end, this is a situation involving a lot of conflict. And if you want to minimize the friction, you should be prepared to make some compromises and let go of certain things that you might have insisted on initially. This will vary from couple to couple, and it’s important to be able to talk it out with your partner despite the difficult situation. Make sure that you don’t leave anything up in the air because this can lead to a lot of resentment down the road.
Work with a Mediator When It Makes Sense
Sometimes it can also make sense to work with a professional mediator to ensure that both parties have their needs met while also observing the situation through a more objective lens. This can occasionally lead to some interesting insights about the dynamics between you two, but even without that, it will still be very useful for identifying reasonable solutions for conflicts as they arise. It can take a while to find a good mediator for a situation like this, so don’t rush the process. Ideally, you’ll want to work with them for a long time as new issues come up, so you should find someone you can trust.
For better or worse, this will be over eventually. Going through the divorce itself will be messy and painful, and it will also involve some disappointment. But in the end, it’s something you sometimes can’t do anything to avoid. Remember to get all the help you can find for every challenge that comes up along the way because there will be lots of instances where you can’t handle things on your own, and your partner might be unwilling to help out, understandably so.