When you get divorced you are splitting from your spouse, not from your children. Therefore, if you are ending your marriage it is important that you do what you can to make this challenging process as easy on your children as possible while at the same time taking the necessary steps to ensure that when the dust settles you have a parenting plan and custody agreement that works for you and that is in the best interests of your children.
Tips for Helping Your Children Through the Divorce Process
Kidshealth.org, a great resource for parents with young children, has some excellent advice on their website for divorcing parents who want to make this difficult transition as manageable as possible. They urge parents who are splitting up to help their children out by taking the following steps:
- Refrain from arguing in front of the children,
- Discuss the legal aspects of the divorce with your spouse in private,
- Try to keep your kids’ daily routines are normal as possible,
- Keep both parents involved in the kids’ lives (assuming it is in their best interests to do so),
- Break the news of the divorce to your children in during an age appropriate conversation, ideally with both parents present, and be prepared to handle questions they may have.
Tips for Protecting Your Parental Rights
When awarding custody of a couple’s children the court takes a number of factors into consideration, but when it’s all said and done the decision will be primarily based on what is in the best interests of the children. Therefore, whether you are looking to be awarded physical custody, legal custody, or joint custody of your children you will definitely benefit from following the suggestions below:
- Even if you and your spouse have separated, be sure to keep providing financially for your children and abide by any child support arrangements that you have agreed to,
- Be sure to maintain close ties with your children (i.e. spend quality time with them, attend their sporting events, call them, etc.),
- Prepare room in your new home for your children,
- Demonstrate a willingness to work with your ex about matters related to your shared children,
- If you’ve been granted visitation rights be sure to always pick up and drop off your children at the agreed upon time and location,
- If you honestly believe that it would be unsafe or a different parenting for your spouse is necessary, start gathering documentation and keeping a diary to support your concerns,
- Don’t disparage your spouse in front of your children, and
- Retain an experienced divorce attorney to help fight for your parental rights.
Contact a Local Divorce Attorney
Here at the Law Offices of Michael A. Robbins we are committed to helping our clients through trying times by providing top tier legal representation and advice on a wide range of family law matters. To find out what attorney Michael A. Robbins can do for you contact our Bloomfield Hills today at (248) 646-7980.
