As a loving parent, you may tend to put your children’s needs over your own. While that is an honorable intention, sometimes the best thing for everyone might be to put your needs first.
One scenario where this can definitely be true is when considering whether to divorce or stay married.
Parents often fear that divorcing will seem like the end of the world for their children. Or maybe they have reports suggesting that divorce can affect children’s educational attainment.
It’s true that many children don’t do so well at school when their parents divorce, but there are also plenty that do just fine and many (especially those whose parents were constantly arguing and fighting) who do a lot better.
It’s not your marital status that will affect your children so much as the sort of life they get. Two supportive parents who happily live apart will likely be better for the child than two who have stayed together but resent doing so.
Divorce will present challenges
Don’t expect it to be easy. Living apart can present financial challenges, and coming up with the money to pay for school trips or buy a new sports kit might be harder than before. You may need to work more than before to afford separate places, which could reduce the amount of time you have available for your children.
Yet those are challenges that thousands of parents and children overcome every day. If divorcing puts you in a better place mentally, and if you create a solid co-parenting plan, you could find your children do better than ever.