You’ll hear a lot of people say that divorce is not good for children. Maybe you’ve talked about splitting up and a friend gave you this advice. Perhaps you’ve talked to someone else who wants to get a divorce, but they told you they weren’t going to do it because they wanted to stay together for the kids.
But are there any times when the opposite is true? Could getting a divorce not only be the best thing for you and your spouse, but also for your kids?
Eliminating a high-conflict home
The big thing to think about is the conflict level in the home. When people say that divorce is worse for kids, they are imagining a low-conflict living situation where the children are highly involved with both parents. Studies certainly have found that children have better developmental outcomes when they have two parents who are a big part of their lives.
But it’s also been found that children who are stuck in high-conflict homes fare worse than children who are removed from those homes through their parents’ divorce. This conflict between you and your spouse can cause a lot of stress for the children. You certainly know how much stress it can cause for you. If this is what your home life is like, it can actually be better for the kids if the two of you get divorced and then you stay involved with them – just at separate times, in separate homes.
Starting the process
Deciding to get divorced is a big decision, especially with children. As you get closer to doing so, make sure you take the time to carefully look over all of your legal options to make things go smoothly and to focus on a positive future for all involved.
