When parents of minor children get divorced, they have to come up with a way of telling the kids. Very young children do not need explanations about legalities, whereas teenagers probably are already familiar with some legal aspects of divorce.
It’s the ages in between at which youngsters may have trouble understanding why their parents need a Family Law Lawyer in Rochester MN, yet they will probably be aware that attorneys are involved. It can be helpful for them to have any misconceptions dispelled, such as dramatic situations they may have seen on TV shows in which lawyers are battling it out in a courtroom.
Negotiating Agreements
That’s not to say that attorneys never get into heated arguments in court. However, this is rarely the case in divorce matters, even when the end of a marriage is acrimonious. Children of grade school age might be told about how each parent’s Family Law Lawyer in Rochester MN will help them decide how to divide up their money fairly, for example.
That can be the case when the spouses need mediation sessions to negotiate various agreements. These sessions are arranged by the attorneys and guided by an impartial mediator.
Understanding Marriage as a Legal Relationship
Kids may need an explanation about marriage being a legal institution as well as a social and religious one. Spouses cannot simply break up and move on with their lives unless they make the separation permanent legally with the assistance of organizations such as Rolsch Law Offices. Otherwise, they are still married.
Custody and Visitation
Children will obviously want to know where they’re going to live and how often they will see each parent. They may feel quite anxious about this. The spouses should explain the basics of custody and visitation to the kids, taking into account their age and ability to comprehend these issues.
With divorce being relatively common, the youngsters likely already know at least one other family in which the parents live apart and the children spend time with each parent. If that situation is a positive one, it can be helpful for parents to use this family as an example for how things are intended to work out.