The stigma associated with divorce is gone, but that doesn’t make the process any less difficult. Divorce can complicate a child’s life, but it also comes with some pretty great benefits. Accentuating the positive is a way to cope and discover that families today aren’t all the same. They come in many shapes and sizes, and one structure isn’t necessarily better than the other. If you have any legal or non legal questions or concerns regarding your divorce, don’t hesitate to get ahold of an experienced San Diego divorce attorney, mediator, or any other type of divorce professional offering free legal consultations and case evaluations.
Here are some of the most positive aspects of being a child of divorce:
- You probably have a large extended family. In addition to double holidays, you may have awesome step-parents, step-siblings, half-siblings, and/or additional sets of grandparents, aunts, and uncles. When parents aren’t trying to force a relationship to work out, families can become truly connected. You can embrace the extended network as a child and into your adult years.
- You may go on more vacations. When you spend time in two households, you may have an opportunity to go on multiple vacations every year and build meaningful memories with each parent.
- Distance makes the heart grow fonder. If you don’t live with both parents full-time, then being with one parent or the other can be really exciting. You don’t have as much of an opportunity to develop frustration about everyday life when you split your time between parents or see one on the weekends.
- You can use some strategic negotiating to your advantage. Children of divorces excel in the art of parental manipulation. When a married parent’s child receives an unsatisfactory answer from a parent, he or she probably can’t coax the other parent to give in. However, a child of divorce has two parents who likely have independent parenting philosophies. They know who to talk to about a bad test result or to ask permission for a weekend in the mountains with friends.
- Letting off some steam is easy and safe. When life gets tough at one house, you have an instant safe haven you can go to that won’t judge you for feeling frustrated with your other parent. In a married household, kids are typically stuck with the rules of the house.
- You have an opportunity to stay in a safe and loving environment. Unfortunately, some divorces arise from violence or abusive behaviors. Until the victimized spouse seeks a divorce, the spouse and child may live in fear. Divorce comes with a very positive freedom and a chance for individuals and children to thrive in an environment with support like alimony and child support payments.
- You may grow closer to your siblings. When households with multiple children split, those children often bond like never before. Regardless of age difference, siblings take care of each other during difficult times. The closeness you develop during younger years may extend into adulthood. In a married household, siblings may never have an opportunity to bond over something so personal.
- Divorce can teach strong interpersonal skills. Children of divorce often understand complex emotional concepts early in life. You may not realize it, but your experience with divorce may make you more compassionate and tolerant in life.
- You may have a deeper connection with each parent. After a divorce, children have an opportunity to spend one-on-one time with both parents. In these independent settings, parents may be less likely to take the time for granted. They may instead use the time to engage in relationship-building activities.
This list is not intended to gloss over the difficulties of divorce, but to help parents and children understand that sometimes divorce is the best case scenario. Every family, divorced or not, has the potential to be loving, supportive, and fun if parents and children continue to look for the silver lining. For more information about child custody agreements and divorce, contact Boyd Law for a free legal consultation with an experienced and successful family law attorney in San Diego, CA.
