Divorce can be an emotional, frustrating and challenging time for everyone involved. Those intense emotions can make it extra difficult to comprehend or focus on the legal considerations, which can keep some from making smart decisions.
Negative emotions can lead to heightened stress, and when the process becomes contentious, mistakes can be made over crucial decisions involving new living arrangements, financial issues and parenting schedules as well as other adjustments.
Understand these factors before you file
While divorce is never easy, even when spouses get along and work together to settle their differences, the process can be less complicated if you understand some fundamental information, including:
- Don’t focus on winning or losing: Rather than trying to defeat a spouse by going to court, understand that divorce involves complex topics, such as asset division, child custody, child support and spousal support. Rarely does either party come away with everything they wanted.
- Prioritize crucial decisions: The process involves several life-changing steps, such as whether you will need to sell the family home. Take the time to make sound, rational choices, and avoid impulsive decisions just to speed up the process.
- Put your kids first: During a contentious divorce, spouses can let their anger lead them to say hateful things about the other party around or to their children. Those statements can have long-lasting harmful effects. Studies show combative relationships between parents can be even more damaging to their kids.
- Be wary of advice: Every divorce involves different people with their own set of issues leading to the breakup. While friends or relatives who have also gone through the process may offer well-intended advice, applying it to your situation can be misleading and even detrimental.
- See the big picture: It’s easy to get lost in a sea of overwhelming negativity about a spouse’s behavior during a marriage. But remember that you are moving on to a new and better future. Stay focused on trying to achieve the best possible relationship in the best interests of your kids and everyone in your family.
Reducing the sting of divorce
While divorce can be a sorrowful and challenging time for everyone, taking a reasoned approach to the process can make the transition easier for you and your kids. An experienced family law attorney here in Virginia can guide you through the process to achieve the best possible outcome and mitigate the pain.