On behalf of Cobert, Haber & Haber Attorneys at Law posted in Custody and Visitation on Tuesday, January 5, 2016.
Married couples in New York and around the country sometimes put off seeking a divorce due to concerns about the impact that it would potentially have on their children, while others feel that addressing their underlying unhappiness is the best course of action for all concerned. Children may find the divorce of their parents a traumatic experience even when they were expecting it to happen, but there are a number of steps that estranged parents can take to reduce this emotional toll.
One of the most important things that divorced parents can do for their children is to take view each other as child-raising partners. They should treat each other professionally and respectfully, and they should discuss matters concerning their children in the same manner that they would talk to a schoolteacher or health care provider. However, this can only happen if personal differences can be set aside. Divorced parents that find this difficult could set boundaries to determine when certain matters will be discussed and commit to not straying off topic.
Animosity and resentment can linger between long after a divorce is final, and this can lead to heated arguments flaring up during parenting discussions. To avoid this pitfall, former spouses may wish to focus on solutions rather than problems and ask each other questions instead of pointing accusatory fingers at one another. Divorced parents should also understand that raising children is an ongoing process, and even seemingly major disagreements can be resolved amicably with sufficient commitment and enough time.
Experienced family law attorneys may take a delicate approach to contentious issues such as custody and visitation. Negotiations over these matters can sometimes become heated, and attorneys may recommend alternative approaches, such as divorce mediation, to avoid costly court battles that offer no guarantee of a successful outcome.