How To Help Your Family Cope With Divorce | When you and your spouse decide that divorce is the best option for you and your family, change is inevitable. For many people, one of the most intimidating parts of this process is communicating that change to the rest of your family.
Whether you’ll be outlining a child custody arrangement or you’re simply worried about who’ll keep the family cat, the burden of supporting your family through a divorce can be nearly as much of a strain as the separation itself. Nevertheless, there are some steps you can take to make this encumbrance a little lighter a load.
Ensure your loved ones’ security.
First and foremost, it’s crucial to make sure your children and other family members are safe despite the divorce proceedings. This might involve finding the right Irvine divorce attorney to get ahead of family law issues before they arise.
In other instances, you might go through the effort of securing a legal separation to prioritize your child’s best interest. A mediator or divorce lawyer will not only set you up for success over time but will help ensure your children and the whole family are safe, particularly with more complex cases such as domestic violence.
Offer safe spaces.
Besides securing your family’s physical safety, you’ll want to create a safe environment for them through this difficult time, too. This might be a cozy corner of your little one’s bedroom, or a cardboard cat home to offer your fur baby a private safe space within the home through the divorce process. It might even be as simple as letting your child know they can come to you (or an uninvolved family member or friend, if they prefer) with any concern or fear. Whether it’s your child, your pet, or another member of the family, you should be keeping them safe every step of the way.
Get ahead of concerns.
Your child, in particular, might struggle with the news of your divorce. In many cases, a kid may feel guilty, blaming themself for the relationship’s end. It’s important to catch any such issues as early as possible, alleviating these worries before they cause more serious issues. Even adult children may struggle to cope with this news.
Show them from the start that you love them just as much as ever and that that won’t change through the divorce process or after, even if visitation or other legal guidelines change the time you spend together.
Avoid sharing unnecessary information.
Just as you don’t want your children to worry about being blamed for your divorce, you don’t want them to worry about the divorce proceedings either. While you don’t want to keep them in the dark, it’s important to make sure you’re only sharing the details they need to know.
For example, many parents will avoid blaming their ex-spouse for their split, even if infidelity or a similar issue was, in fact, to blame. In this way, they don’t tarnish their co-parent’s reputation. Offering too much information about your divorce can increase your little one’s share of the burden—even if they seem to want to know all about the divorce process.
Divorce is a stressful, painful time for you as a former spouse, but it’s also a burden that impacts your entire family. From finding the best divorce attorney to extending compassion to your children, pets, and other family members, it’s important to make sure you’re caring for everyone affected by the divorce proceedings. Of course, that means creating a safe space for kids and pets amidst all this change and ensuring no one’s worried that they’re to blame. Just as importantly, make sure you’re taking care of yourself, too.
