One thing that people must consider during a divorce that involves children is the long-term impact of the divorce on the children. The standard for family courts in Texas is to focus on doing what is in the children’s best interests, which should serve as the model that dictates how parents communicate with each other and make sure their children are taken care of first.
How Do You Have a Child-Centered Divorce?
To start with, having a child-centered divorce begins with knowing that your children could be affected by anything you do. Whether it’s the visitation schedule you settle on or the determination of the primary parent, your children will be impacted.
It’s important to protect your children against the negative influences of divorce and to put their needs above your own. The divorce might separate two people who were married, but that does not mean the family unit has to break down. Your child still needs to feel connected to both parents in order to develop healthy self-esteem. If you or the other parent are belittling one another or saying things that don’t facilitate positive interactions, then the children are not going to be as productive and healthy as they would have been if their parents chose to get along.
Does the Process of Divorce Impact How Child-Centered It Is?
The process is a crucial part of determining the outcome of the divorce. A traditional route means you go to court, file a lawsuit, and serve the other person with divorce papers. This causes your soon to be spouse to be on the defense, and that can lead to more animosity.
A Collaborative Divorce approach is a better way, because a letter will go to the individual stating that a divorce petition has been filed and that you want to work together to separate. The more communication, the better the children will be in most cases. At the beginning of the collaborative process, both parties discuss their goals, which include goals for their children’s needs. The collaborative process enables everyone to track those goals and return to those goals to assure that those goals are met.
If a divorce is child-centered, children tend to feel safer and more secure, which is the outcome that everyone should be looking for at the end of the divorce.
If you need to help in understanding your options for a divorce. Contact Julia Bancroft PC at 281-895-1885 to schedule a consultation.