Written by Jonathan Breeden
When you hear the word “etiquette,” you likely link it to proper manners such as chewing with your mouth closed, keeping your elbows off the table, or holding a door open for someone. Politeness can apply to divorce as well, and maintaining good divorce etiquette can help diffuse the volatility of such a stressful situation.
Divorce lawyer Jonathan Breeden has considerable experience navigating the issues that many couples face while ending their marriage. If you’re looking for help with your divorce, call Breeden Law Office at (919) 661-4970 to schedule a case consultation today.
Below are some suggestions on how you can keep dealings with your spouse from getting too adverse:
Accentuate the positive.
Have you noticed how adopting a negative attitude paints everything in a bad light? Going through a divorce can put anyone in a foul mood, and your inclination is to take it out on your ex-spouse. Despite your adverse feelings, you should make an effort to curb these thoughts. It is understandably difficult to be positive towards your ex, but you can at least make an effort to not act negatively. When you choose to be polite and positive, you may receive the same attitude in response. Even if your ex decides not to emulate your attitude, try taking the high road and not attacking them in response. Refusing to stoop to nastiness can improve your overall emotional outlook, and will be a relief to your children.
Think about your kids.
If you think you’ve been putting up with too much and you’re ready to blow up at your ex, try thinking about your children. Remember that they are living through this divorce, too, and every time you and your ex have an argument, you are creating a stressful environment for your children. What’s worse, if you and your ex trade insults in public, you risk humiliating your children. Your divorce is likely the hardest thing you’ve gone through, but it’s even harder on your kids. Try to remain positive and make their lives as normal as possible right now.
Give your friends guidance.
If you have friends in common with your ex, don’t try to force them to take sides. Instead, try to be assuring to ease their concerns. If, for example, they want to have a party and invite you both, let them know this is okay. You are choosing to end your relationship with your ex, but that does not mean your mutual friends must do so as well.
Adjust your online habits.
Social media allows us to connect to people who may not be close by, but it can also be hurtful and humiliating. Even if you and your ex-spouse are on good terms, you might not be interested in hearing about their new relationships or seeing them post about how happy they are. The best thing to do is to stay offline entirely, but if you still want to maintain a presence on social media, you should remove your spouse from your contact lists. Remember that this means any mutual friends can see what you post, so be sure to keep your divorce out of your online comments.
Sometimes the best efforts at maintaining proper divorce etiquette can fall short. If you want to keep minimal contact with your ex, talk to a divorce lawyer at Breeden Law Office. Attorney Jonathan Breeden will help with your legal documents and court visits, and he will also act as the main point of contact during the proceedings. This will keep interactions between you and your spouse to a bare minimum. Contact us today at (919) 661-4970 to discuss your case.