Divorce can be difficult for not only you and your partner, but also for everyone your lives touch. This is particularly true for children whose parents are divorcing. If you and your partner have decided to divorce and you have teenagers, they can be even more at risk of struggling through your split.
The good news is that there are ways you can make your divorce easier for your high schooler. In spite of them being in a challenging stage of development in their own lives, there are ways you and your spouse can work together to make your divorce as easy as possible for your children. For ways to get your high schooler through your divorce, read on.
Hiring a Family Law Attorney
When getting a divorce or legal separation from your spouse, it’s important to find a great family law attorney who can help you navigate the logistics and emotions that come with a breakup. While it can be tempting to hope to save money and represent yourself in an uncontested divorce, having a great family lawyer on your side is a good way to protect your and your child’s best interests.
Maybe you live in San Diego but aren’t sure who to call for help. A simple Google search might pull up San Diego divorce attorneys like Minella Law Group. Minella Law Group is a full-service family law firm handling all cases from adoptions to divorce and domestic violence. Meeting with a lawyer from this firm would be a great way to know your legal options and ultimately have a favorable outcome in court. With a strong attorney-client relationship, you might be surprised how an attorney’s extensive experience can help with visitation, legal advice, and postnuptial agreements even in a less than contentious divorce situation.
If your divorce is contentious, a divorce lawyer can help with mediation and navigating important decisions between divorcing parents; leaving you and your child out of the conflict when possible. Experienced lawyers can also warn you of situations where your child might be impacted, which will give you a head start at providing your teen with the help they need.
Making Your Child a Priority
Finding ways to separate your relationship with your spouse and your child when it comes to conflict is important. Where you can, keep conversations centered around your child’s interests and achievements. For example, if your child is in a club or group like national honor society high school, it’s important to be there for all of their events and show your support in whatever ways you can. Leave the adult discussions for when you and your spouse are alone or through your attorneys.
Professional Help for Your Teen
Some families and teens benefit from the help of a neutral third party when a teen is struggling. Hiring a family therapist can help. You could also get a child therapist to work with your teenager on their feelings around divorce. Letting your child know that it’s okay for them to talk about what they’re going through with someone else is a great way to show support.
In the end, regardless of how you and your spouse feel about each other, and no matter how difficult your divorce proceedings get, by putting your teenagers’ feelings as a priority in the divorce process, you’ll be doing yourselves and them a favor and minimizing the impact of your divorce on them.
Best of luck to you in your litigation, legal separation, and property division. Try to remember that you still have something in common: your kids. By putting your children first, the entire divorce process will be easier.
