Divorce and child custody issues can put the strength of your family relationships to the test. After a divorce, you might suddenly find yourself in need of help, whether it be emotional, financial or physical, from other people in your life. If some of your relationships are distant or unhealthy, it’s worth the time and effort to begin improving them.
Gendered Roles and Their Consequences
A 50/50 split of labor, where both parties contribute exactly half the effort and resources to every endeavor, is rare and probably not advisable. We all have individual strengths. Some tasks will be easy for one partner and difficult for the other.
That said, gender and gender stereotypes often play a damaging role in deciding who does what. The imbalances this creates are why women are statistically more likely to get custody of children than men. Broadly speaking, if you do most or all of the parenting, you’re likely to end up with most or all of the custody of your children.
Another area where gender stereotypes play a role is in tending to and maintaining relationships, both familial and social. Research has shown that men’s relationships with family are more tenuous than women’s. Men are more likely to be estranged from their families, including their adult children. Regardless of gender, if these relationships are weak, divorce can be harder than it has to be.
Time and Effort
If you’re considering a divorce or are in the process of getting divorced now, it’s important to take an honest look at your support system. If you’ve allowed your connection to friends and family to weaken or break, you’ll need to expend effort to repair or replace them. Maintaining relationships takes work. That work does have a payoff, however. When you find yourself facing a new way of life after your divorce, you’ll have people to call on or spend time with to help you through it.
The Parenting Relationship
There are many different ways to parent. Parenting styles are dictated by many things, including temperament and the parenting we received as children. Divorce should cause you to reevaluate whether your current parenting style can continue.
While marriage is intact, couples work together to parent children. A “good cop, bad cop” routine, for example, really only works when you have two parents in the same home. After a divorce, you can’t be the good cop and the bad cop at the same time. Making the transition from team parenting to solo parenting can be tricky, depending on the role you played in the couple. It’s important to consider what you need to change to provide everything your child needs when you’re the sole authority figure in charge.
Speak to a Fort Worth Divorce Attorney Right Away
Protecting your rights in a divorce or child custody proceeding isn’t easy. You need an experienced lawyer to help guide you. Call the Fort Worth offices of Schneider Law Firm today at 817-755-1852 to schedule a consultation.
