Divorcing couples with children face a myriad of problems than couples with no kids. Children, especially young ones, find it harder to cope with divorce. Many often consider themselves to be the reason for their parents’ separation. Some choose not to express their feelings and keep everything bottled up inside, which does worse for them in the long run.
If you have children, you may be wondering how to tell them the news or help them throughout the process. The best way to protect your child is to make sure that they do not feel alone. A child deserves to be loved by both his/her parents. You and your co-parent should ensure that. For legal assistance, contact an attorney today.
Problems faced by divorcing couples with children
- Custody and visitation disputes.
Perhaps the biggest challenge faced by divorcing couples with children is the custody battle. No parent wants to lose custody of their children. The process can be emotionally, financially, and mentally draining. Once custody is decided, creating a visitation schedule for the child to see the non-custodial parent can become a challenge.
- Emotional impact on children.
While dealing with the stress of the divorce themselves, parents must also look after their child’s feelings throughout the process. Children experience a myriad of emotions, from anger and rage to guilt and sadness. Watching their parents live in different houses or, worse, with different people can be a lot to take in.
- Communication challenges.
Once you are divorced, you are no longer just parents but co-parents. And co-parenting requires a good deal of healthy communication. Communicating with your ex-spouse after the divorce can seem like a challenge, especially for the first few months. Lack of cooperation, misunderstandings, and difficulty in reaching an agreement are some of the issues that may arise.
- Financial strains.
After a divorce, one spouse is usually required to provide child support. If they decide to get married and have kids, they become responsible for two households. Taking care of the finances of so many people can make things difficult for the paying spouse. Negotiating child support, alimony, and division of assets may help.
- New living arrangements.
If the custody of the children goes to the parent who moves out of the house, the children will need to adjust to a new home. Change is always difficult for young people. They may also struggle with the transition of living in one house for half of the week and living in another for the other half. This can impact their sense of stability and security.
