When seeking divorce advice in Pasadena, it's common to hear tips about handling divorce when you are the parent of a young child. Divorces with young children involved are complicated because of the need to work out custody, support, and visitation issues, but parents of adult children also have special concerns during this time.
Even if your child is legally an adult, there are still some things that need to be kept private. Your son or daughter, regardless of age, does not need to know about your difficulties in the bedroom or any other intimate details that you'd be embarrassed to hear from your own parents. Save the personal details for a night out with your friends and try to keep the traditional parent-child dynamic intact during this time.
Just as parents of young children are told not to badmouth their ex in front of the kids, you need to resist the urge to criticize your ex in front of your adult child. Making your adult child feel pressured to "take sides" in your marital dispute will only create unnecessary tension.
If you have grandchildren, find a way to come to terms with the fact that you and your ex may sometimes need to be in the same room for birthday parties, school events, and other family functions. You don't need to be the best of friends, but you do need to be able to coexist well enough to be loving grandparents. The effort you make on this front will be very much appreciated by your adult child.
Finally, respect that your adult child is grieving. Even though he or she no longer lives at home and has built a separate life, the divorce experience can still be painful. It may take awhile for your relationship with your child to "bounce back" from this event. Be patient.
How Can We Help?
If you are planning to file for divorce or have questions about a specific divorce related issue, please contact our office at (626) 683-8113 or email us at info@PasadenaLawOffice.com. Our experienced Pasadena family attorneys can help explain what steps you should take to make sure you're able to move on to the next stage of your life as soon as possible.