Divorce can make even the most stoic person overwhelmed and confused. It doesn’t get any better if it’s a high-stake divorce that involves children and substantial property.
If you’re struggling to find your bearing during the divorce, you might have a difficult time establishing and keeping healthy boundaries.
Here are two crucial boundaries that you need to put in place as soon as it’s clear that divorce is inevitable.
1. Boundaries for the children
Regardless of the circumstances of your divorce, it’s important that you draw a line that you do not cross as far as the children are concerned. A healthy boundary can help children understand that they are not responsible for the divorce, reduce tension and help them cope with the divorce. Simple steps you can take to set healthy boundaries for the little ones include sharing age-appropriate information about divorce with them and setting and maintaining a predictable parenting plan.
2. Boundaries for yourself and your spouse
Taking care of yourself during these challenging times can be daunting, to say the least. However, you need a clear head so you can make the right decisions. This begins by setting important personal boundaries like avoiding social media, working out a budget, getting adequate sleep, seeking help from family, friends and professionals if you need to and taking to healthy habits like exercising that are necessary for your physical and mental wellbeing.
As far as your spouse is concerned, here are some of the steps you can take to maintain a healthy boundary:
- Avoid talking negatively about them, especially in front of the children
- Set separate bedrooms if you are sharing the home
- Have clear communication channels
- Respect the existing parenting plan
The importance of healthy boundaries during the divorce cannot be overstated. Besides easing tension during the divorce, boundaries can also help you avoid costly mistakes that can hurt your divorce case.