A divorce with a lot of conflict can change you. You’ll carry its affects for the rest of your life. It’s important to try to keep things civil so it’s easier on everyone but this doesn’t always happen. Divorce is hard enough without making it worse by fighting or trying to hurt the other person more. It still goes on, though, because bitterness and anger take over and couples can’t let go of these feelings.
Key Takeaways:
- High conflict divorces that often result in relitigation can have a negative effect on the children’s social and emotional growth.
- It’s possible to ease custody exchanges for yourself and your kids by practicing mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing for emotional regulation and arriving on time.
- Rather than inappropriately using your children to communicate with your ex-spouse, go to family therapy for guidance in establishing boundaries around roles.
“Research shows that the frequency and intensity of parent conflict, the style of conflict, its manner of resolution, and the presence of buffers to ameliorate the presence of high-conflict are the most important predictors of child adjustment.”