Crises can sharpen one’s comedic genius, and if there’s one thing you’ll need plenty of through a divorce, it’s humor (second only to tissues, and a family attorney in Broward County). In the rollercoaster of legal jargon, emotional negotiations, and familial upheaval that is divorce, we tend to forget that our little sponges — our babies — are suffering and soaking up more than just our grievances.
1. Whisper The Big News
Your kiddos aren’t hostages to negotiations, and you aren’t the news broadcaster. The first step to this delicate dance is breaking the news in the gentlest way possible. Think of how you’d talk to the skittish horse on the carousel; you’d approach slowly, and you’d whisper. In Broward County, the family changes in stressful times of divorce can echo deeper for young minds. Share only what they need to know, with an emphasis on the unchanging love you both will always have for them.
2. Establish The “other-parent Safety Rule”
Instituting this unbreakable Wall of China rule can feel as formidable as building an actual one, politics aside. But here’s the sweet and sour of it – in Broward County, during the least sweet times, it stands your children in good stead. They must feel completely safe with the other parent, and you must enforce that or face the consequences of your child’s demonstrable trust issues.
3. Script The New Normal, Together
Kids love routines like plants love water. Each family script needs a rewrite after a divorce, and this new act is co-authored by you, your ex, and your shared kids. Making them feel part of the production process — especially for older children — gives them a modicum of control in this uncontrollable plot twist.
4. No Mini-managers In The House
Your children aren’t clipboards for messages or facilitators for arrangements. Keeping them conversation-neutral (no child should be caught knowing the logistics) is vital to their mental real-estate security. In Broward County, think of it like this: if you fill their minds with unnecessary adult doings, they won’t have room for important school stuff.
5. Two Loyal Pit Crews
It’s not Batman without Alfred and Lucius Fox, and it’s not a divorce without two strong support systems. Your children need their pit crew ( each parent) on standby. Friends, family, and therapists will have your child’s welfare at heart, regardless of the side they’re rooting for.
6. Remember They’re Children, Not Adults
This tip disregards what the court thinks you’re old enough to do — your child’s development is not up for legal debate. Talk to them honestly but age-appropriately. Broward County doesn’t weigh in on your parental dialogues, but your kids’ development is your performance art.
7. Avoid ‘The Battle’ In Living Color
Keep your spats, whether clouded in hurt or righteous indignation, out of their crosshairs. In this process, your children need a reprieve from this living-room battlefield. Save the “neutral corners” for legal negotiations; your kids’ safe space is exactly that.
