You’ve probably heard people say that divorce is not good for children or that they want to stay together specifically for the kids. This is a common sentiment that sometimes scares parents off from getting divorced, even when they know that this is what they would want.
But there’s good news. Experts note that children who are stuck living with parents in a high-conflict marriage are actually worse off than if those parents were to get divorced and co-parent their children without being an official couple. This is especially true for younger children, as they are in very formative years where they learn how to interact with the world around them. It could certainly be better for a child’s development to grow up with divorced parents in two separate – but happy – households.
What matters is parental involvement
One thing that you want to keep in mind is that parental involvement is what helps children develop to be happy, stable and successful. This is why people sometimes say that academic performance will slip after a divorce. This can be true if the parents aren’t involved with the child, but two involved co-parents can help the child adjust to this next stage of their life without any negative impacts.
In a lot of ways, getting out of a high-conflict marriage may make it easier for you to be the involved and loving parent that you’ve always wanted to be. You have more time and energy to devote to your children, as does your ex, and this is better for them overall.
If you do decide to get divorced, take the time to look into all of the legal steps you’ll need to take.