Children of divorced parents may have more challenges than their peers from two-parent homes, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have healthy, productive lives. Parents play an important role in ensuring their children have good mental health and coping skills during and after a divorce.
Children often think they had something to do with their parents’ breakup or that, if they would have done something differently, their parents would still be together. Regardless of how the parents feel about their ex, it’s crucial that they love and support their children as they deal with this transition. A family lawyer in St. Charles, MO can offer tips and advice under such circumstances.
Consistency Is Key
Divorced parents have to present a united front for their children. It doesn’t matter if the parents don’t see eye to eye on any other issue. They have to do their best to give their children stability. Parents need to support each other’s decisions and not give in to their children when they don’t want to follow the other parent’s rules. When children know they can’t get away with things at their other parent’s house, they won’t try to triangulate or manipulate them.
Don’t Share Too Much
Children are not equipped to deal with adult problems. Divorcing parents should talk to their peers about their issues, not their children. Kids don’t need to know the specifics of the breakup, who cheated, or how much money one parent pays the other for child support. Those kinds of issues are best kept between a parent and their family lawyer in St. Charles, MO or their close family and friends. Children of divorced parents have enough things to worry about without parents burdening them with intimate details of their relationship.
Parents with young children do not have to stay in an unhealthy marriage. They may be able to raise happy, healthy children together while they live apart. It takes a commitment from both parents to avoid sharing too much or using the kids to get information about the former spouse. Experienced lawyers could help parents by helping them find more information about tools and techniques to raise children after divorce.
