Here are seven tips for young mothers trying to get through this unsettling and unfamiliar experience.
Divorce is never easy. Separating yourself from someone you loved at one point is hard enough, but when you factor in kids and marriage it’s even harder. For a lot of young mothers, divorce is often the sad conclusion to a whirlwind romance and promise of a happy family.
So, once you’ve consulted specialist divorce lawyers, it’s important to look after yourself and prioritise your own self-care and needs. Below, we’ll take a look at seven top tips to try and make this process a little easier.
1. Focus On Your Wellbeing
Your well-being is always important, but you need to take extra care of yourself during a divorce. You need to be strong for your kids but also remember that you’re a person with thoughts and feelings still.
Try to ensure that you focus on all the areas of well-being – physical, mental and emotional. You need to eat right, sleep well, exercise, and find time to practice self-care. These are all important parts of life and getting them right is key to navigating your divorce.
2. Focus on Co-Parenting
One of the hardest parts of any divorce is the fact that the parenting responsibilities you have are now split with your partner, necessitating communication. You need to be clear and open about the needs of the children and ensure you’re both focusing on their wellbeing instead of being angry with each other.
Co-parenting is hard to do and it can take time to find an acrimonious relationship with your partner. Try to be diplomatic and keep conversation with the children only at first.
3. Know Your Rights and Finances
If you’re a young person going through a divorce, then you may not know that you have certain rights during divorce, both legal and financial. Understanding those rights is key to getting what you deserve during the divorce proceedings.
Naturally, we’re here to help you with that, but you need to know your rights and understand what they entail. Divorce can be a complicated process, so it is key to get what you’re owed.
4. Make a Support Network
Going through a divorce can be a difficult and lonely process. It is important that you try and seek the support of friends and family wherever you can. Now is the time to reach out and start making new connections and rebuilding old ones.
You will especially want the support of friends and family if it looks like your ex-partner is going to be difficult or even confrontational during the divorce. Make sure they understand what is going on and let them help you if you need it.
5. Take it One Step at a Time
When you’re going through a divorce, you need to try and take it one step at a time whenever you can. It is important to remember that this is a difficult and uncertain period of time for you and you need to be able to deal with each event as it happens.
Allow yourself time to grieve throughout the divorce proceeding. The end of a relationship, even if you’re the one who wanted to end it, is still a big event. Ensure you take time to feel any emotions connected to the event and process them in a healthy way.
6. Make a Routine
During the divorce proceedings, it’s important to create a routine for you and your children. A sense of stability is vital for navigating what is otherwise a very turbulent part of life.
The best kind of routine is one that mirrors normal life. This means you need to do all the things you would normally do with your children but without your partner. It’s important that kids understand life can continue even though there is a divorce.
7. Communicate With Your Children
As the mother of children, it’s important to communicate with them throughout the divorce proceedings. Even young children are aware of what’s going on, and they may be upset by the fact that their parents are angry at each other.
The best thing you can do is communicate with your kids. Try and help them understand that this is okay, and that both parents still love them. They need lots of reassurance to deal with your divorce in a healthy way.
Getting Through Divorce
There is no blueprint for dealing with a divorce in a healthy way. Every separation is a unique event, and you will feel complicated emotions. This is perfectly normal.
However, as a young mother, you need to make sure you get proper support throughout the divorce. Your emotional and physical wellbeing are important, and you should treat them with the respect they deserve. Don’t be afraid to seek support where you need it.
Disclaimer
The information within this article is intended only as advice. If you are experiencing emotional mental health issues as a result of your divorce, then you should definitely seek professional support in the form of therapy or counselling.
