Your Child’s Well-Being During And After Divorce

It’s easy to forget that during a divorce, you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse are not the only ones dealing with the termination of your marriage. Your children are thrown into a situation where they may feel that they are placed in the middle of two arguing parties and are forced to choose aside. This can bring about feelings of guilt, panic, and uncertainty. They may ask themselves questions such as:

• If they don’t love each other anymore, do they still love me?
• Are they separating because of something I did?
• Do they still want me in their lives?
• Will they hate me if I want to live with mom/dad?

The younger the child, the more likely he/she is to not fully understand the situation and may or may not express their feelings and confusions through emotional responses and outbursts, depending on the child.

What Can I Do As A Parent?

As a parent, it can be difficult to explain to young children or even teenagers what the situation between yourself and your wife/husband is and how the family will change from that point forward due to the impending divorce. However, their feelings of helplessness or anger may be eased through one or more of the following:

• Explain to your children that although you and your spouse are divorcing, your love for them will not change
• Avoid speaking ill of your ex-spouse in front of the children
• Ensure that your ex-spouse is involved in your children’s lives as much as possible
• Seek counseling for the child if behavioral issues should arise or if you think they would benefit from someone to talk to

It’s important to understand that there is no guarantee that your child will accept the divorce immediately; however, there are definitely things you can do to help make the situation as painless and understandable as possible.

Speak with a San Marcos Divorce Lawyer

If you or a loved one is involved in family law litigation or a divorce case with child support, custody, or visitation issues, and need legal representation, don’t hesitate to contact the Fischer & Van Thiel Family Law Firm of San Marcos at (760) 757-6854 today to get solid legal advice and a professional divorce lawyer consultation.