For many divorced dads in Washington state, the reality of no longer living in the same home with their children on a full-time basis presents a host of challenges and conflicting emotions. The good news is that by heeding some simple advice for navigating the new normal, it really is possible for conscientious fathers to make the very best of the situation and forge a path to parental success.
Anticipating the highs and lows
Divorce is, to some degree or another, almost always an unsettling process for everyone involved, and, depending on their ages and developmental stages, kids can exhibit a wide range of unexpected or atypical behaviors that could include:
- Separation anxiety
- Sleep disruptions
- Defiance
- Anger
- Emotional withdrawal
- Academic difficulties
By remaining vigilant for the signs of such manifestations, dads can take a proactive role on catching problems early and working collaboratively with their children — and ideally their ex-spouse — to promptly address them.
Providing consistency amid change
Additional ways in which dads can stay closely connected to their kids in the aftermath of a martial dissolution is to remain in the same geographic vicinity, if at all possible, be dependable when it comes to timely and full remittance of all child support payments, maximize custodial time by providing both predictable routines as well as a sense of fun and ensure that the co-parenting relationship with the ex-spouse remains as cordial as it can be.
While it is certainly true that children can be incredibly resilient in the face of domestic challenges such as divorce, the upheaval a familial split is known to cause must never be taken lightly. To bolster the likelihood of a relatively seamless transition to a new family structure, the more involvement undertaken by dads and moms alike, the better.
ES