Some of the most stressful periods in people’s lives include the death of a loved one, job loss, and sustaining of a significant injury. Divorce is also among the most stressful events that any person can experience in his or her lifetime. Unfortunately, children are the most affected, and can feel the greatest stress that of a divorce. They feel uncertain over how their lives will change after the divorce. They also feel guilty, blaming themselves for the end of their parents’ marriage. This generates a truly stressed-out adolescent. However, there are ways to keep your child protected from the stress caused by a divorce.

Divorce and Children (Photo credit: o5com)

Keep Your Child and Divorce out of the Courtroom

Historically, divorce has been difficult for children as they became involved in courtroom custody battles in which they must choose sides or assess blame. However, divorce proceedings have recently seen a new approach, especially in the last decade, that allow parents and their children to go through the divorce process in a more amicable, less stressful way. Indeed, a collaborative approach to divorce will help lessen the stress and even the cost associated with divorce.

Look up Divorce Laws in Your State for Clarity

There are number of issues that make divorce hearings more difficult. For example, a Virginia child custody lawyer is dealing with different legal custody, physical custody and visitation arrangements than an attorney in Los Angeles, California. Child custody laws are different in every state, however, the health and happiness of a child is paramount to any divorce proceeding regardless of geography.

Explore Collaborative Divorce

The idea of a collaborative divorce is that parents are working out their issues through direct communication with each other instead of passing information back and forth through attorneys. Customarily, couples will sign a collaborative participation agreement. By signing the agreement, each parent is agreeing not to take the case to court. Indeed, courtrooms are a stressful environment, especially to a child unaccustomed to those surroundings. Collaborative divorce allows for discussions and resolutions to take place almost entirely out of the court room.

In a collaborative divorce, attorneys are on hand to offer consultation or to give more advice but they are not there to discuss divorce settlements or terms. Ideally, the children are the focal points of the divorce with a goal of reducing their stress and anxiety. Child custody is a highly emotive issue but a signed contract that purports to put your child’s interests first will help to get both parents working together toward an arrangement that is in the best interest of the child.

Costs are also reduced in a collaborative divorce. Indeed, when both parties are on the same page about the structure by which their union will end, there is less money spent on lawyer deliberations, and more time spent on securing the emotional well-being of the children involved.