Children And Divorce: What Questions Should I Be Prepared To Answer?
During a divorce case in Orlando involving minor children from the marriage, it is important to be prepared to help your kids through the process. Minor children of all ages, from young kids to older teenagers, are likely to have a wide variety of questions, and it is essential to be as prepared as you can to provide your children with helpful, honest replies. You can work with your divorce attorney to ensure that you understand how the divorce and child custody process works in Florida so that you can provide accurate information. At the same time, it may be necessary to consult with a child psychologist, or to tell your child that you will not have a definite answer to a question until after the divorce case is finalized.
While some children’s questions will be inquiries pertaining to Florida law and the divorce process in the state, others will be questions of a more personal nature. As you plan ahead to tell your kids about the divorce, you should think about how you might respond to some of the following questions.
Will I Have to Move?
Most kids are very concerned about whether they will have to move, and what that will mean for their social lives and for their relationships with friends and neighbors more specifically. The answer to the question will depend upon the particular facts of your case, but you should think about how you might respond to a younger and an older child (depending upon the ages of your kids). Teenagers might be able to understand that the process will take some time, and that it may be necessary to move.
Who Will I Live With After the Divorce?
Related to the question about moving, most kids in a divorce are worried about whether they will live with only one parent, or will share time between the parents’ homes. If your kids are older, you may be able to plan an answer to this question that provides some information about the Parenting Plan under Florida law, and how Florida courts begin from the premise that time-sharing is important unless there is a reason to restrict the child’s time with one of the parents. With younger children, the divorce process can be extremely confusing. The notion that you will no longer be living with your child’s other parent can be difficult to understand, and the idea of time-sharing might not make sense to a younger child. For both older and younger children, you should seek advice from a psychologist who has experience helping kids through divorce.
Who Will Take Me to School, and Where Will I Go to School?
For kids, having to change schools, or even changing school-related routines can be extremely difficult. If you are able to do so, working with your ex to develop a time-sharing plan as part of your Parenting Plan can allow you to determine the arrangement for school and pick-ups that is in your child’s best interest. And if you can work with your ex on the Parenting Plan, you can provide your kids with more clarity about what the process is likely to look like once your divorce is finalized.
Learn More By Talking with an Orlando Child Custody Attorney
Going through a divorce with minor children is often very difficult, and you should anticipate that your children will have questions. You should seek advice from your Orlando family lawyer about child custody in Florida. Contact Anderson & Ferrin today for more information.
