For parents in Virginia, their number one concern is often how their decisions will impact their children. In some cases, this may motivate them to stay in an unhappy marriage. While most would agree that divorce is a difficult process for all involved, especially children, there are certain actions that parents can take that can potentially ease the transition for them.
One of the most important things to do is to maintain a civil relationship with each other. While this may be difficult, doing some could ultimately be beneficial to the children. This includes declining to fight in front of the children; any disputes can be saved for later when the children are not present. It could also include having family nights periodically, especially during the initial transition. Supporting the child through major milestone events, such as birthdays and graduations, can also help.
Supporting one another — such as picking up children after school if the parent who usually does so is unavailable and paying court-ordered child support as required — can also help maintain the relationship, making life easier on children. Maintaining a positive relationship with the former spouse also includes declining to make negative comments about him or her in the presence of the children. Focusing on positive aspects, such as how much the spouse loves the child, can prevent the child from developing negative feelings about one of the parents.
There is no doubt that divorce is an emotionally difficult process. Despite its difficulties, however, taking such a step is often in the best interest of both the children and adults in a family. Fortunately, there are steps that families in Virginia can take to ease the process.