Even though you and your spouse made the decision to separate and seek a divorce in Florida, you have the unique opportunity to continue to make an impact in the lives of your children through your role as their father. Despite the changes in your personal relationships, you can continue to be the type of parent that encourages your children to live a successful and happy life. At Beverly L. Brennan, we are committed to helping divorced parents to make the most of their new life.
One of the toughest parts of your divorce may be the process of finalizing a parenting plan. Often, this ongoing effort requires you and your spouse to negotiate terms including logistics, scheduling conflicts, and general parenting responsibilities. Both of you will need to determine who should be responsible for what and what the arrangements will be for holidays and other important events. Once decisions have been made, you should request a clause that will enable the plan to be modified as your children grow and their needs change.
According to Fatherly, do not set exaggerated expectations for what will happen when you see your children. Simply let them know how excited you are to see and spend time with them. Maintain a positive and optimistic morale and discuss with your children how exciting and opportunistic life is. Develop a plan or routine that you can follow loosely each time your children come to visit. This bit of consistency can be instrumental in helping them to transition into their visits with you. Under no circumstances should you ever speak ill of your ex or inquire information about him or her from your children. Be sure to maintain your own mental well-being and seek the support of other family members as you transition into this new parenting role.
When you see the value of custodial visits and are equipped with ideas of how to optimize your time with your children, you can use your role in a positive way to continue to forge strong relationships with your children. For more information about getting a divorce, visit our web page.