Protecting Children During Divorce

The rubric courts use in making decisions regarding child support, custody and visitation is the best interests of the child. Parents are also concerned about the best interests of the child, but in the throes of an emotional divorce, it can sometimes be difficult to determine where those best interests lie. However, there are concrete steps parents can take to help protect their children during divorce.

Mediation and Negotiation

Before going straight to litigation, individuals may wish to speak to a Phoenix divorce attorney about the possibilities of mediation. Mediation still produces a legal agreement at the end, but it allows parents to communicate and compromise with each other along the way rather than taking an adversarial stance from the beginning.

One of the most valuable aspects of mediation is that it can lay the groundwork for a healthy co-parenting relationship in the years after the divorce. Mediation is not always possible, but parents can take other steps to protect their children even if the divorce is contentious.

Reassurance

It is probably not possible to spend too much time reassuring children that a divorce is not their fault.

Avoid bad-mouthing the other parent

This can be difficult because the other parent may be hurtful, irresponsible or unfit. Even in these circumstances, parents should avoid putting the child in the middle of their conflicts.

Stability

Doing as much as possible to keep other aspects of the child's life unchanged helps them feel more secure.