Divorce isn’t an easy process, but for many couples, it is a necessary one. When you no longer have a healthy and happy home situation, you may need to make a change not just for your own benefit but for the protection and well-being of your children.
A toxic home environment can be far worse than a parental divorce in terms of the long-term effect the situation may have on the children. Children may learn unhealthy coping mechanisms or believe that contentious, abusive relationships are normal. A divorce can help each parent maintain a safer and healthier home on their own.
However, that doesn’t mean that divorcing parents can simply ignore the potential psychological damage to children that can result from divorce proceedings. Partnering with an attorney who understands the impact divorce can have on children will be important for your whole family.
Attorneys help set the tone of divorce
You know your family, but your lawyer knows the law and how to manage divorce proceedings. They will help you negotiate outside of court or litigate matters in front of a judge. The attorney that you choose will have a massive impact on the overall outcome of your divorce, as well as how adversarial the process becomes.
A lawyer who understands that conflict is dangerous for children will likely advise you honestly about the law instead of trying to push you to maximize conflict and therefore their paycheck. A lawyer who recommends mediation or collaborative law rather than pushing you to fight for sole custody when you don’t have grounds to seek it is someone who has the best interests of the children at heart.
Not only will they help you make the process was stressful for your children, but the approach that they take can improve your chances.
The courts care about how you parent
In a Louisiana divorce, the judge making custody decisions will focus on how the parents treat their children and approach family matters. If you are aggressive about your interactions with your ex, a judge may question whether you have the best interests of the children at heart. When they see you trying to cooperate, they are more likely to trust that you want what is best for the children as well.