Separation or divorce does not end your obligation to care for your children and work with your ex- partner or spouse to adequately care for your children.
separation and children
Children need continuing care and support from both their parents. It is understandable that when parents go through separation that they will each experience a range of emotions. It is not unusual to have many emotions in the one day at the early stages of separation.
Separation can leave you feeling lonely, desperate, depressed and grief stricken. It can also give you a sense of relief, especially if you have been unhappy for a long period of time.
Separation can trigger emotions that make you lose your self-confidence or trigger anger, jealousy or guilt.
It is important that you acknowledge the emotions that you are experiencing and where required seek professional assistance.
The reason it is important to acknowledge your emotions and manage them is because children are affected by separation and divorce. They too are grieving and in pain and experiencing loss and confusion.
If your emotions take over your ability to parent your children, then your children will suffer.
There is nothing worse for children to be caught in a situation where one parent or both parents are stuck in the past, feeling pity for themselves, continuing the bitterness and interfering with the children’s need and right to spend time with the other parent.
Separation is a complex process and traumatic particularly when there is ongoing conflict. The impact on you and your children cannot be under-estimated.
To be in the best position to negotiate and co parent with your ex-partner or ex-spouse, being aware of your feelings and emotions will assist you.
As an independant children’s lawyer (ICL), I see first hand the damage , unfortunately long term, that is done to children when parents have not deal with the grief stemming from the breakdown of their relationship.
For more information contact us – the information and advice we offer will give you and your family peace of mind.