Getting a divorce is a personal decision between two people within a marriage. Of course, that doesn’t stop your extended family from having their opinion about your divorce, or worse, trying to be involved. The truth is, family support is crucial to have during a divorce, just in the right amounts. If your family doesn’t support your divorce, it can make the whole process much more stressful. Here are a few tips on how to handle disagreeing family members.
Talk It Out
While you don’t owe anyone an explanation on why you and your spouse are divorcing, sometimes extended family just needs an explanation to move on. If your family was particularly close to your spouse, they might be grieving the loss of him or her in the role as your spouse. Sit down with your extended family and talk to them about it to the extent that you feel comfortable doing so.
Set Boundaries Regarding Conversations
Set boundaries about when to talk about your divorce, especially if you have children. If they don’t respect those boundaries, then let them know that is a subject you will not talk about with them. Even family members need to be respectful of your wishes.
Take Care of Yourself
When you can’t rely on your family for the support you need during your divorce, you need to take care yourself. Eat a healthy diet, exercise, seek counseling if you have difficulty coping. Taking steps to improve yourself will help ease the stress of divorce and make you much better able to process the divorce.
Create a New Circle of Support
Your extended family doesn’t have to be the only support system to assist you during the stressful times of divorce. Hang out with friends who understand your circumstances, attend support groups, or simply reach out on the Internet to find other people going through a split. Having people you can rely on is key to overcoming the stress of a divorce.
If you are getting a divorce and need assistance, contact one of our San Diego divorce mediators at SDFMC. Call (858) 736-2411 to schedule an initial consultation today.
