How to Avoid Using Kids as Weapons in Divorce Proceedings

One of the saddest things observed during divorce proceedings is parents using kids as weapons against the other. The ugly custody battle between Hollywood stars, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt is a case in point. Thank goodness the ugly and prolonged legal battle for the custody of kids is over in this case.

Litigated divorce proceedings can be horrible, and with emotions running high it can complicate things and often makes a bad situation worse. When adults seek revenge, kids are often brought into the mix, which they obviously should not be. There are few things that complicate a divorce proceeding worse than a parent attempting to use their child as leverage against the other parent.

Although parents sometimes don’t intend to, they use their children as weapons which is something that no parent should consider or allow to happen. Dragging kids to court can be traumatic for them and can have them become pawns in the legal battle.

The dirty tricks that parents use can take several forms. These include:

• Withholding the child from the other parent
• Engaging in parental alienation
• Running away with the child to another state, town or city; in some extreme cases, the parent may relocate to a different country
• Making visitation conditional on paying support
• Coach the child to lie

Kids who are part of a litigated divorce proceeding can suffer long-term, life-changing damage if things are not handled properly. Irrespective of age or gender, all kids can be negatively impacted when their parent’s divorce.

The Best Option

Collaborative divorce is a peaceful, respectful divorce process where the goal is to allow both spouses to come to an agreement on asset division and co-parenting so the family unit remains intact.

The collaborative team comprises of an attorney for each spouse, a neutral financial advisor and a Family Divorce Coach.  In a collaborative divorce, a divorce can be a respectful way of ending a marriage while allowing the children to come to terms with the divorce, knowing that their parents have their best interests in mind.

For more information on collaborative divorce and how Family Divorce Solutions can help your family thinking of divorce, contact us today.