We’ve all seen it before. A couple having trouble with their marriage decides to stay together for the sake of their kids rather than seek a divorce. The reasoning sounds logical, as divorce is often rife with arguments and heartache, but the question as to what is best for the children may not be so easy to answer.
One person on Reddit was grappling with this question and took it to the online community. He found that many people who grew up in a household with a troubled marriage wish their parents had gotten divorced instead of having stayed together. Five reasons were popular amongst other Redditors. First, they said hearing parents argue was more stressful than a divorce would have been or more stressful than a later divorce was. Second, though many parents try to hide their troublesome relationship with their spouse, many kids are able to pick up on the cues that the marriage has gone sour. These cues may include parents sleeping in different rooms or the couple not spending time together.
Third, Redditors said their home life was depressing and unhappy when parents forewent divorce on their behalf. Fourth, unhappy parents sometimes take out their marital frustrations on their kids, sometimes damaging relationships between children and a parent. Lastly, children can more easily adapt to a divorce than parents give them credit. Though the initial split may be difficult for a child, he or she may be happier when he or she sees his or her parents happier in their separate lives.
In the end, the decision to file for divorce can be one of the most difficult to make. In addition to considering the one’s own and his or her children’s feelings, several family legal issues must also be considered. Spousal support, child custody, child support and property division may all become contentious issues. To have the best chance possible of reaching a favorable outcome, Arizonans considering divorce should think about consulting with a family law attorney who will fight to protect their best interests.
Source: The Huffington Post, “5 Reasons Kids From Unhappy Homes Say It’s Better To Divorce Than Stay Married,” Jan. 27, 2014