It's Over: 4 Ways to Maintain Healthy Communication during a Divorce
You've made the decision to end your marriage. Unfortunately, your spouse doesn't want to admit that the marriage is over. It can be difficult to move forward when your spouse wants to hang on to the possibility of a reconciliation. You may want to sever all ties, but if you and your spouse have children together, that is not going to be possible. Here are four steps that will help you communicate with your spouse while maintaining your boundaries.
Be Professional
When you have children, the coparental relationship you have with your spouse won't end just because you divorce. You're going to have to communicate, but that doesn't mean it has to be on a friendly or personable level. Treat each interaction like a business meeting in which you have specific issues that you need to discuss. Keeping it professional will help prevent your spouse from reading personal interests into the conversations.
End Unhealthy Communication
If your spouse insists on turning your conversations into shouting matches or pleas for reconciliation, end the conversations. Listen closely to the conversations you have. As soon as they turn hostile or personal, end the conversation. Let your spouse know that you won't participate in conversations of that type.
Hire a Mediator
If you've tried everything to keep your conversations centered on the children but nothing has worked, it might be time to hire a mediator. A mediator will work to help you and your spouse reach a common ground that you can both agree on. If you're not sure how to find a mediator, speak to your attorney. They can help you locate a mediator in your area. You can also inquire at the local family court department.
Distance Yourself
Your spouse has the right to family time with the children, but that time doesn't have to include you. To maintain boundaries, keep the family time about your spouse and the children. If you give photos to your spouse, be sure they're of the children. Providing photos that include yourself may give your spouse a deeper desire to seek reconciliation.
Divorce can be difficult, especially when only one spouse is ready to walk away. If you have children, you have to maintain communication with your spouse. However, that doesn't mean you can't place boundaries on that communication. The tips provided above will help you keep the lines of communication open while still maintaining your commitment to divorce. Find a divorce attorney through a website like http://www.hartlawofficespc.net today for more help.
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