Divorce affects both the two adults who are ending their Florida marriage and the children who are a product of it. Therefore, when parents are headed toward divorce, there is often concern about what is best for the children and how the family can move forward.
What is best for the children?
Parents naturally want to protect their children from harm, and when divorce is on the table, they might have concerns about the negative impact it can have. While for some parents, the decision might be to stay together for the sake of their children, for others, that might not be the wisest choice. If you are in a volatile relationship, with the children witnessing constant conflict, divorce might provide relief from tension and stress for all members of the family. In those types of situations, the children might be better off learning that taking care of themselves emotionally and even physically sometimes means ending harmful relationships.
Forging a way forward
If you and your spouse have made a final decision about divorcing, you will need to focus on how to move forward. Because the well-being of the children is usually one of the parents’ most important concerns, you need to make time to speak to them about what is happening and offer support and guidance. Some of the things you can do include:
- Being honest about the divorce by explaining things in a straightforward manner
- Attempting to keep their routines intact as much as possible, including their schooling, after-school activities and household chores
- Explaining clearly any changes that will happen, such as splitting their time between two homes
- Offering support and reassurance about your commitment to them and the family
The divorce process takes time and adjustments from all involved. It is important to let your children know that you are there for them and give them the space to process all the changes.