What Can I Do to Help Maintain Stability During Family Law Proceedings?

You have the power to bring stability to an unstable situation.

Divorce is tough on children. Marriage dissolution inflicts long-term emotional damage on about 25% of kids. Younger kids often blame themselves for divorces, and older kids often feel like they’re caught in the crossfire. This 25% figure is much higher in contentious divorces, especially if the arguments involve child custody and visitation issues.

Divorce may be the best alternative for everyone, including the children, in many situations. Parents should make an effort to shield their children from the fallout of a divorce. That is something even the most argumentative parents usually agree on. Our Ft. Worth family law attorneys are family first attorneys. They are not divorce lawyers or child custody lawyers. The long-term emotional well-being of your family is always our top priority.

Go the Extra Mile

Most Tarrant County divorces include standard property-and-parties restraining orders. These orders generally prohibit one parent from disparaging another one either directly to a child or in the presence or hearing of a child. This prohibition includes posting rants on social media.

We believe that is a good start, but parents who really want to protect the emotional health of their children should be willing to go the extra mile.

In this context, going the extra mile usually means saying nice things about the other parent directly to the children. These positive comments must be sincere. This bit of advice is usually very hard for many parents to take, but it’s in the best interests of the children. Post positive comments on social media as well. Like related articles and posts.

Going the extra mile also means respecting the parenting timeshare agreement. Drop the kids off at 6:50 instead of 7:01, and at least wave to each other during visitation exchanges.

Settle the Matter Out of Court

We cannot emphasize this one enough. Emotional courtroom showdowns sometimes make parents feel better, but they always make children feel worse.

Early settlement is better than late settlement. The sooner a family puts a divorce in the rearview mirror and settles into the new normal, the better. Usually, Ft. Worth family law attorneys open settlement negotiations with the other side almost immediately.

Sometimes, contentious cases drag on, and the judge must appoint a mediator. This professional ensures that both sides negotiate in good faith. Mediation statistics are amazing. About 90% of couples believe mediation will be a complete waste of time, and about 90% of couples walk out of mediation with a signed, final agreement.

Send Children to Counseling

We mentioned the long-term emotional damage that divorce causes. So, we recommend that parents always send their children to at least one or two professional counseling sessions. Licensed professional counselors know how to spot red flags that indicate possible emotional damage.

Emotional problems addressed early on usually fade away, especially if the parents are committed to their children’s emotional health. Issues that fester usually get worse.

Work With a Thorough Tarrant County Family Law Attorney

Divorce is hard on children, but the damage does not have to be permanent. For a free consultation with an experienced family law attorney in Fort Worth, contact the Law Office of Kyle Whittaker. We routinely handle matters throughout the Lone Star State.