If you and your spouse are at the point where you contemplating divorce, there are likely serious unresolvable problems in your relationship. While you both might agree that you don’t want to harm your children by splitting up, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that your children will be better off with parents in an unhappy marriage.

What’s in the Best Interests of the Child?

Research supports that children are happier when they live in a home with two loving parents. This is why New Jersey family courts prefer custody arrangements where both parents are actively involved in the child’s life and their upbringing. A court will almost always prefer joint custody over sole custody because they understand how essential it is to the child’s well-being to have a healthy and loving relationship with both parents.

While this might be true, this does not necessarily mean that staying together will be beneficial for your children. Kids, although naive, can easily sense when something isn’t right. They will pick up on the tension between you and your spouse, especially if you are not trying to hide your disdain for each other.

Children do not respond positively to conflict and are subject to an increase in adverse side effects like depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. If parents are going to argue in front of their children and if tensions at home rise, it is unlikely that staying in that type of environment would be better for your children than a divorce.

How to Help Your Child Through Divorce

Yes, children typically thrive in predictable, secure families with two parents who love them and love each other. However, such fairytales may not always be possible. Rozin Golinder Law understands that and can navigate your divorce while keeping your children’s well-being at the forefront of the matter. While separation can be unsettling, stressful, and destabilizing, in the long-term divorce can lead to a more stable and calmer environment for children of parents who have a volatile relationship. If parents are constantly at each other’s throats, splitting up can provide an environment without yelling, animosity, and stress. When divorced parents handle changes in their family’s structure positively and with their children’s best interest at heart, a temporary hardship will likely lead to children who become stronger and happier adults in the future.

If you need assistance with a divorce or custody matter, our compassionate attorneys at Rozin | Golinder Law are here to help you through this difficult time. Call us today at (732) 810-0034 to set up a consultation with our team.