How An Atlanta Family Lawyer Can Help Your Child Maintain Healthy Parental Relationships

Going through a divorce affects every member of your family, especially the children. You may have to negotiate child custody arrangements with your ex-spouse. Your child may react to these new changes in different ways.

But this transition shouldn’t negatively affect your child. While there may be an adjustment period, you still want your child to have great relationships with you and your ex-spouse. Learn more about how an Atlanta family lawyer can help you and your child maintain a healthy relationship.

Changes With Your Child

During a divorce, your child’s well-being is your main priority. You’re not just worried about their physical needs when discussing custody. You’re concerned about their psychological needs after the divorce. Some of the psychological changes that children go through after divorce are:

• Fear.
  Some children are scared that they may lose their parents’ love, especially during a custody arrangement.
• Guilt.
  Some children may blame themselves for their parent's divorce.
• Anger.
  Some children resent one or both of their parents.
• Stress.
  Some children may experience stress after being separated from a parent.

If you or your ex-spouse decide to date or remarry, that’s another adjustment your child must make. These changes and feelings can cause your child to experience new mental health issues and behavioral problems.

Balancing Healthy Parental Relationships

You want to protect your child during and after your divorce. Because the divorce process is new for your family, you may not know what to expect. You may not know what to do when your child becomes withdrawn. This is when you want to speak with an Atlanta family lawyer.

An Atlanta family lawyer can help with more than the legal aspect of your case. Family lawyers understand the fragile position that families are in. One of the main concerns with child custody arrangements is the time each parent will spend with the child. Spending as much time with your child as possible is the best way to ensure your relationship remains solid. An Atlanta family lawyer can help you and your ex-spouse establish the best co-parenting plan.

What Is A Co-Parenting Plan?

A co-parenting plan is a contract agreement that you and your ex-spouse create. It is a set of guidelines that establishes the best custody arrangement for your child. This document determines how each parent will continue to care for their child after a divorce. It also includes the type of custody arrangement in place, the parenting schedule every week, and visitation for holidays and vacations.

An effective co-parenting plan can address your and your ex-spouse’s concerns. You both can determine whether one parent will have sole or joint legal custody. You can also determine how the both of you will communicate about scheduling changes for visitation.

Benefits Of Co-Parenting Plans

The benefits of a co-parenting plan can help you maintain healthy relationships with your child. While creating your co-parenting plan, you can design it with your child's best interests in mind. This is a great time for you and your ex-spouse to have an open and healthy dialogue with each other. When the two of you are on the same page, you work to create a safe environment for your child. Your child will feel less stressed and less pressured to take a side.

Full Participation In Your Child’s Life
A co-parenting plan can also ensure that you and your ex-spouse fully engage in your child’s life. Consistency may be the best thing that you can provide for your child following a divorce. Establishing a fair co-parenting schedule allows you and your ex-spouse to continue to show up for your child.

Being separated from one parent may cause a child to experience anxiety. You and your ex-spouse can create a parenting schedule that is as fair as possible for each parent. Your co-parenting plan can help form some stability for your child. The more stable your child’s life, the more secure they may feel throughout the divorce.

Encouraging Open Dialogue With Your Child
It may be difficult to determine your child's best interests if you haven’t asked them. At the same time, you don’t want to put additional pressure on your child. An Atlanta family lawyer can help you and your ex-spouse ask your child about their needs healthily.

Family lawyers know how to encourage mediation between two spouses. Your child may feel more open to expressing themselves when they see their parents working well with one another. When parents fight with one another, children are more likely to experience emotional problems.

Maintaining A Strong Support System
An Atlanta family lawyer can also become a part of the family’s support system. In addition to helping with your co-parenting plan, a family lawyer can provide different resources for you and your family. They may be able to protect other legal interests throughout the divorce.

They may also be able to recommend different resources that can help your child, like counseling. You can feel more confident throughout the divorce process, knowing you have someone with experience.

Contact Attorney Sharon Jackson Today

The law firm of Attorney Sharon Jackson, LLC will guide you through the sensitive issues of child custody and parenting time so your children are impacted as little as possible during a divorce. Call our office at (678) 436-3636 to schedule a consultation with our Atlanta family law attorney.