On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Wednesday, May 31, 2017.
As Missouri parents whose marriages are ending know, one of the more complicated aspects of a divorce is helping their children through the process. Even before the parents start custody and support negotiations, there are things they can do to support their children as they enter this new stage in their family life.
While parents might think that keeping everything from the children is a good idea, being honest with them about the divorce is important. To do this, parents should still keep their children’s ages and maturity level in mind, and they should avoid certain details, but they should let their children know what is going on before they can come up with their own conclusions, which might be erroneous. Additionally, during the process, parents should listen to their children and their concerns and thoughts, and offer them comfort, assuring them that even though the parents are getting divorced, they will remain a family and they will remain their parents.
Parents should also remember not to use their children as messengers during the process, as this can hurt and confuse the children even more. Working together during the process is a good idea in order to provide as much stability as possible for the children, even though many things in their lives are changing. This also means being flexible and patient with one another, as the parents and the children figure out a new normal.
Cooperation will also make it easier to handle the variety of family law issues that are involved in a divorce. Finally, parents should remember to take care of themselves during the process, mentally and physically so they can also take care of their children.
