If you share children with your spouse, you will be responsible for raising them until they reach the age of majority. Generally speaking, raising them will be much easier if they are given the time and other resources needed to adjust to such a big change in their lives. There are a number of things that you can do to help your children adjust such as avoiding litigation or keeping them in their current Massachusetts home.
The potential benefits of avoiding litigation
The biggest potential benefit for your children is that they won’t have to testify in court. If you resolve your divorce through mediation, they don’t have to be part of the settlement process. As anything you agree to in mediation is private, your children will never have to see or hear anything about a final settlement that could potentially upset them.
Why staying at home matters
Allowing your children to remain at home means staying close to friends, coaches or other important people in their lives. This may be especially beneficial if your kids are older, as starting over as a teenager can be harder. Furthermore, your kids will be able to sleep in their own bed and generally retain whatever routine was in place before the divorce. Keeping that routine can help your kids have some sense of control in an otherwise chaotic situation.
Be there for your kids
Your kids may want to spend time talking about their feelings, and it’s your job to oblige them. You should also look for nonverbal signs about how your kids are feeling, such as poor grades, lashing out at teachers or withdrawing from activities. Consider getting your kids into therapy if you notice any of these signs.
Although a divorce may be hard on you, it is typically even harder on a child. Therefore, you must make time to ensure that your child’s needs are met regardless of how stressful a split may be.