When your marriage is clearly breaking down and divorce starts to become a real possibility, it’s common for parents to worry about the potential effect on their children. After all, if the urban myths and horror stories are to be believed, children of divorce end up flunking out of high school, are more likely to wind up in jail, and probably have all kinds of emotional damage to deal with on the way. Thankfully, they’re not true in the clear majority of cases and, in fact, parents divorcing can have some benefits for children. Of course, in an ideal world, we’d all get our happy ever after the first time around, but life isn’t a fairy tale and that’s not how it works. To help reassure you about the effects of a divorce, here are 5 reasons it could benefit your kids.
What Your Children May Gain from Your Divorce
- A happier home environment: No matter how hard you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse have tried to keep it from them, your children will know that you haven’t been getting along. Whether it’s overheard arguments or just a generally unhappy environment, you can almost guarantee that they’ll benefit from a more relaxed, contented home
- Improved communication skills: Many job adverts ask for excellent communication skills, and you may be surprised to learn that your divorce could help your child to get a head start on the road to finessing their communication. Having two homes can mean they want to talk to each parent more about what’s been going on, and research has shown that children of divorce can be more willing to communicate using pictures, stories, and play. One word of warning – don’t use your child as your messenger
- Stronger mental health and wellbeing: Rather than growing into damaged adults, forever bearing the scars of their parents’ divorce, it has been proven that those growing up with divorced parents can be more resilient. The likelihood of any lasting emotional damage is far smaller than you may think
- Closer relationships with each parent: When parents divorce, their children will normally get to spend more one-on-one time with each of them. This can have a greatly positive effect on their relationships, particularly when coupled with a calmer home environment and happier, more content parents, who are open to spending quality time with sons and daughters
- Problem-solving skills: This is another much sought-after skill that could be given a boost by parental divorce. Children whose parents divorce rather than staying in a volatile relationship see for themselves how to get beyond stress and anger to solve the underlying problems. A valuable life skill, we’re sure you’ll agree
Do You Need a Salt Lake City Divorce Attorney?
Even when you know that divorce can have some positive effects on your children’s lives, it’s still a very emotional and potentially traumatic experience for all involved. An expert Salt Lake City divorce attorney can answer your questions on various aspects of the process, including alimony, child support, custody, and more.
When you’re dealing with a major life change, hiring a skilled, experienced divorce attorney can take some of the pressure off your shoulders, as they work towards getting the best possible settlement for you.
To discuss your Salt Lake City divorce with an outstanding attorney, call (801) 901-8159 for a case review.