If you are a parent considering divorce, you may be scared off by the horror stories you read or hear.
People might tell you that your child will have lifelong mental health problems. Or end up hanging out with the wrong crowd and getting in trouble with the police because of your decision.
While these things do happen to some kids whose parents divorce, they also happen to some kids whose parents are still married. It is more down to how you operate as parents and as a family than your marital status.
Divorcing could be better for your kids than staying married
Let’s say you and your spouse decide to stick it out in an unhappy relationship. You fell out of love long ago, and while you remain polite, neither of you is having fun. Do you think your child will not notice? Might they rather have two parents who are living the lives they want?
If your relationship is conflictive, that is an even better reason to end it. Arguments, shouting, and violence all take a toll on kids. There is the danger they grow up thinking that is how relationships are meant to be and that they either seek a partner who treats them that way or treats their partner that way.
Divorce does not always make everything wonderful, and it can bring financial hardship and other challenges. Yet, if divorce is best for you as individuals, practicing this act of self-care will put you in a better position to help your child fulfill their potential and reach adulthood a rounded individual.
Getting legal help to find out more about how divorce and child custody would work is a great first step.