If you are facing a divorce, you are likely to be plagued with feelings of doubt and uncertainty. While there is no “correct” way to go about the process of ending your marriage, you will want to be sure to address the various legal issues between you and your spouse in a responsible manner. The many decisions that must be made about matters such as the division of assets, marital debt, spousal support, and parental responsibilities could lead to you feel overwhelmed. Although you may be eager to resolve these matters and get the divorce process over with, it is strongly advised to carefully think out every action you take. If certain issues are handled improperly, you may face serious financial repercussions, and your relationship with your children could be negatively affected. During your divorce, it is important to avoid these mistakes:

Being Dishonest

Attempting to hide marital assets, providing your spouse with false financial information, or withholding knowledge from your ex, their lawyer, or the court could result in serious consequences. You may be penalized if you are found to be hiding money or other property, and if it is discovered that you are lying, a judge may consider this behavior when making decisions about property division or child custody. Ultimately, it is best to be as open and honest as possible during the divorce process.

Letting Your Emotions Control You

The dissolution of your marriage is the end of your partnership with your ex. The thought of moving forward into single life can be stressful and overwhelming, especially if you will also be spending less time with your children. Because of these changes, you may struggle with sadness, anger, depression, guilt, and a variety of other emotions. However, it is best to approach your divorce with a professional mindset. Putting emotions aside when addressing the legal and practical concerns of ending your marriage will help you make sure you can start your post-divorce life off on the right foot.

Many families enjoy traveling together, and visiting another country can provide parents and children with an amazing experience that allows them to embrace new cultures. However, when a divorced parent plans to travel internationally with their child, this can raise concerns and legal issues. The other parent may worry about the risks the child may face and how international travel will affect their parenting time. If either parent plans to travel with their child to another country, they will need to ensure that the proper legal procedures are followed.

International Travel Restrictions for Children

When a child is preparing to go on an international trip, certain precautions must be taken before he or she can leave the United States. The child will need a passport for international travel just like every other person. However, there are additional processes that must be followed. If a child under the age of 16 applies for a passport, both parents must:

• Consent to the passport application

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While the divorce process can be difficult, some couples may be able to work together to end their marriage as amicably as possible. Collaborative divorce is an alternative dispute resolution process where spouses and their attorneys work together cooperatively to negotiate an equitable settlement. The focus is on problem-solving based on the couple’s individual and shared values without having to go to court. There are many benefits to a collaborative divorce, but it may not work for everyone. A couple needs to be willing to compromise on certain issues in order to make decisions without a judge getting involved.

Benefits of Collaborative Law

A collaborative divorce has many advantages, and the primary benefit is the ability to avoid going to court to resolve disputes through litigation. Some of the other benefits of using a collaborative form of divorce include:

• It can save time and money.

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Whether heated debates over parenting time or disagreements about marital debts add fuel to an already stressful home environment, children caught in the middle of a divorce have plenty to contend with. Even if divorcing parents attempt to protect their children from conflict, the divorce process can be emotionally turbulent for them. Experts tell us that parental divorce has a significant impact on children of all ages, although younger children tend to process and react to the separation differently than older adolescents. These variations in behavioral changes can be alarming for parents, who themselves are feeling the emotional effects of such a big life change.

Behavioral Changes to Expect from Your Teen or Little One

As a concerned parent undergoing a divorce, it helps to identify the types of behavioral changes you can expect from your adolescent or younger child and to be aware that each child’s response may differ greatly. This is normal, as it typically reflects the child’s perspective on the split. That point of view shapes his or her response and his or her attitude about the situation. Here are a few examples of what to expect and how reactions can differ from one age group to the next:

• Defiance - Teens tend to react against their parents in the face of divorce. As adolescents, they are already working to develop independence, hence the common tendency to distance themselves and turn to friends for support instead of to Mom or Dad. This desire for self-sufficiency often becomes amplified during divorce, sometimes resulting in rebellion and the belief that if parents do not care about them, then they must look after themselves.

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When a couple goes their separate ways after a dissolution of marriage, one or both of the spouses might encounter some hardships. Feelings of depression and anger can resonate in an ex-spouse, affecting the relationship with other family members, including children. Regardless of how rocky a divorce can be, it is important to remember that when a child is involved, his or her best interests should remain the focal point of both caregivers. Parenting plans are created to ensure the child receives quality parenting time with both parents. However, parental alienation is a growing area of concern. It can be defined by one parent manipulating his or her child and attempting to negatively affect the child’s relationship with the other parent. This malicious behavior could result in the child associating negative emotions or even hatred with the alienated parent.

What Causes Parental Alienation

Some of the most contentious disagreements in any divorce case often involve the allocation of parental responsibilities (formerly known as child custody) and parenting time (formerly known as visitation). A fear that far too many moms and dads are facing today is the possibility that their relationship with their child could be affected because of lies told by the other parent. For example, a mother could tell her daughter that her father does not love her anymore when, in reality, the father would do anything for his daughter. Everyone wants to believe that their parents would never lie to them, so when a child is told misleading or fabricated information about the other parent, it may be taken as the truth.

Acts of parental alienation typically ensue when a parent is emotionally unstable or upset as a result of the divorce. A parent may attempt to push blame for the divorce onto the other spouse, in hopes that the child will want to spend more time with the parent who is supposedly not at fault. This process can be very damaging for the child, and cutting off a relationship with one parent could leave them feeling confused, sad, and lonely. Furthermore, when parents make their child choose sides, cause them to feel guilty about wanting to see the other parent, or refuse to allow them to speak to the other parent, these are all forms of alienation. If a parent recognizes any sign of disassociation from their child, this should immediately be investigated before it can progress.