Benefits of Maintaining a Friendly Relationship after Divorce
Marriages usually end in divorce because couples agree that they no longer want to be a part of each other’s lives. So it is understandable that once the divorce is finalized, most couples are eager to cut the other out completely – or at least maintain as little contact as possible.
But it may actually be beneficial to maintain a friendly relationship with your ex-spouse.
Reduce stress on the children. If children are involved, the reason is obvious – a couple that can treat each other with respect, and who can be in each other’s presence, means less stress on the children. It also means more opportunities to spend important days, such as birthdays and holidays, with your children, rather than having to split them with your ex-spouse.
Offer closure and help future relationships. Maintaining a friendly relationship with your ex-spouse can help foster a sense of closure by allowing the couple to sit down, after the stress of the divorce is over, to talk honestly about what drove them apart and finally get their feelings of hurt and anger off their chests. The insights gleaned from these conversations may also help both parties in their future relationships, helping them understand the mistakes they made that led to the marriage’s demise and work on them now, so they’re not repeated.
Maintain your social circle. Married couples often spend time with other married couples. Once the marriage is over, if you and your ex are unable to be in the same room as each other, your friends may be forced to choose who to keep in their social circle. Find yourself on the losing end of that decision and you’ll suddenly have no place to watch the big game on Sundays and nobody to play a round of golf with on the weekend. If your friends know that you and your ex are on speaking terms, and that they won’t have to worry about being put in the middle of any bad-mouthing, they may not feel inclined to choose between the two of you.
Maintain family ties. Depending on the length of the relationship, you may have developed strong ties with your in-laws, bonding with nieces and nephews and confiding in your mother-in-law. The key to maintaining these relationships often lies in remaining on friendly terms with your ex-spouse.
Reduce stress on the couple. An amicable divorce can also make the entire divorce process less stressful and much simpler. A couple who can truly sit down and discuss issues regarding parenting plans, time sharing (child custody), child support and property division will be more satisfied with the outcome, thus minimizing the chance of return trips to court because one party failed to comply with the order.
Boca Raton Divorce Attorney
An amicable divorce is not only less stressful on everybody involved, but can save you time and money in the long run. The Boca Raton divorce attorneys at Schwartz | White can help. With more than 50 years’ combined experience handling divorce and family law issues, our attorneys will work closely with opposing counsel in an attempt to negotiate a fair and equitable settlement that both parties can agree on, but are ready to fight in court if necessary. Contact our office today at 561-391-9943, or complete our web form, to schedule a consultation today.
