If you’re one of many Florida spouses who have decided to file for divorce this year, you undoubtedly have a lot of other decisions to make that stem from your choice to sever your marital ties. If you’re a parent, many of those decisions likely pertain to your children. You love them and want to keep their best interests in mind while you make adjustments in your personal life as well.
While divorce definitely changes a family’s life, it doesn’t necessarily have to ruin it. There are several things you can do to navigate the system in as low-stress a manner as possible as well as set up a strong support network to help your kids successfully adapt to a new lifestyle.
Take one step at a time
Chances are it wasn’t just one issue that prompted your decision to divorce; although, in some cases, a climactic event, such as an extramarital affair, may have been a key factor in a particular spouse’s decision-making process. Since most cases involve multiple issues, it’s typically best to address them one at a time rather than trying to resolve everything in one fell swoop. The following list provides helpful tips that may apply to your situation:
- Before anyone can move on after divorce, there needs to be closure. You and each of your children may experience different emotions, and part of the healing process is to allow those emotions to unfold and accept circumstances as they are even if they’re not as you’d hoped they’d be.
- You can’t always control what happens in life, but you definitely can control your reaction to other people’s actions and to unfolding events. Envisioning your future and setting goals may help you and your kids move on in a positive direction.
- Even if your relationship with your ex is less than friendly, things are far more likely to go well if you both agree to be civil and respectful of one another, especially in matters concerning your children. Post-divorce stress often stems from negative comments or behavior between co-parents.
- You may not be able to totally eliminate stress from your divorce. If you have a strong support network in place, however, you can manage it and keep it to a minimum.
Filing for divorce in a Florida court will be a lot less stressful if you have clear understanding of state laws, especially regarding child custody and child support issues. If you have questions or concerns about a particular issue, it’s always best to seek answers from someone well-versed in family law matters rather than proceeding without knowing, which can lead to all sorts of stressful problems.
From choosing a specific divorce process, such as mediation, collaboration or litigation, to laying the groundwork for a new lifestyle (Where you live, work, etc.?) you and your children can cope with changes in a healthy, productive way if you take one step at a time and know where to seek support as needed.
