Divorce can be a stressful and emotionally turbulent process. It can be understandably difficult to keep it together while you are going through the process, especially when you still have so many other aspects of life to worry about.

However, it’s important to be mindful of the way you and your spouse interact — or the way you talk about your spouse — in front of your children. Remember that while you might not have to spend much time with your spouse any more, your children will.

Here are some things to take into consideration:

• Keep arguments private: If you get the sense that you and your spouse are about to blow up in front of your children, have some sort of indicator to tell the other that you will hash it out later. Arguing in front of your children is likely to stress them out. Your kids are already going through a very difficult time — don’t make it any harder on them.
• Remember that your children are not your therapists: It can be quite tempting to vent your problems to your kids because you have such a close bond with them. However, this puts a lot of pressure on your children to take sides in the dispute and to be the more mature party in the relationship. You are the parent, not your child.
• Avoid insulting your spouse: It is important for both parents to maintain a good relationship with their children after a divorce. Therefore, avoid saying anything negative about your spouse that could influence the child’s perception of that person. It is unfair to the kids more than anything else.

For further guidance on how to handle a divorce when you have children, speak with an experienced Willmar, Minnesota family law attorney at Anderson Larson Saunders & Klaassen PLLP.