Divorce can actually be good for your children

Many parents hesitate to divorce, no matter how unhappy they are, because they’re concerned about how their children will be impacted. Certainly, there’s considerable research addressing the short-term and long-term impact of parental divorce. However, if that divorce puts an end to constant fighting or silent rage and co-parents can find a way to work together to ensure their children’s well-being, divorce can have a multitude of benefits for kids, both in the present and long into the future.

Following are a few ways that divorce can be beneficial for kids.

More “quality time” with parents. As a part-time single parent, you can better focus your attention on your kids when they’re with you. If you’re not dividing your time between dealing with a troubled marital relationship and trying to parent, you can actually spend more uninterrupted time with your children than ever. That can help them feel appreciated and understood.

Happy parents have a positive impact on their kids. When children live in a home filled with tension, arguments and uncertainty about what to expect whenever they come home, that can only make them feel stressed and unhappy. When that’s replaced by two separate but calm(er) households, kids often relax and feel happier themselves.

Grades improve. When kids are less stressed and unhappy, they can better focus on their studies. Further, as noted, their parents can devote more time to helping them with homework and projects. It’s essential, however, for co-parents to communicate with one another about all aspects of their children’s schooling.

The potential positive impact of parental divorce, if parents handle it well, doesn’t end with childhood. Studies have shown that people who saw their parents work together despite their differences to raise their kids are better at managing all kinds of challenging relationships in adulthood.

Putting a detailed, well-thought-out custody plan in place (or as it’s known in Colorado, “allocation of parental responsibilities“), sticking to it and modifying it when necessary for your children’s well-being are all crucial to building and maintaining a successful co-parenting relationship. Your Colorado family law attorney can help you.