Over the past few months, a lot of families have spent more time together than they ordinarily do, which may have brought to light or enhanced issues that caused more harm than good to some relationships. As a result, some couples here in New Jersey along with others across the country are contemplating ending their marriages. One question that could be on their minds is whether there is really a “good” time to get a divorce.
While there is not really a good time to divorce, there may be a better time, especially for those who have children. Research indicates that children between the ages of 5 and 15 tend to have a more difficult time adjusting to new circumstances when their parents divorce. The reason children outside this range tend to do better because older teens can process the situation better, and those under the age of 5 do not fully comprehend the situation and tend to bounce back more quickly.
Even so, it is important to remember that these are only generalities. Every child is different. One person’s child may react much differently than another person’s child does. The point is that despite what the research says, when a couple needs to end their marriage, they will just need to deal with the repercussions. The key is to get through the process as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
Most family law attorneys will recommend that individuals try to put their feelings for their future former spouses aside and control their emotional responses during the divorce process as much as possible. Doing so could help keep the proceedings as non-adversarial as possible, which would also make the situation less stressful for the children. In fact, the more that parents here in New Jersey and elsewhere work together to come to a custody arrangement, the better off the children may be since they will see that their parents are putting their needs first.