relationships after divorce - 3 things to consider

When you are going through a divorce, you may feel hurt, guilty, alone, scared – a lot of very difficult feelings. Starting a new relationship is appealing because it can help you feel less lonely and it can provide support when it may be difficult to get support from others who don’t understand what you’re going through. However, relationships take time, energy and a lot of compromise. Thinking through what is best for you and your family will help you determine when to move forward with a new relationship.

​Some things to consider when starting a new relationship after divorce:

1. Have you mourned the loss of the marriage? Divorce is like a death and you need time to mourn, even if you wanted the divorce. You may feel sadness, anger and many other emotions that you need to go through in order to move on and be open to another relationship.
2. Have you learned what went wrong in your marriage and understand what you can do differently in your next relationship? It is important to examine your marriage and find out what you did to contribute to the issues. Usually it isn’t just one person’s fault when a marriage ends. If you don’t work on your relationship skills, you may end up repeating the problems you had in your marriage.
3. Are your children ok? If your children are struggling, they need a parent who is available both physically and emotionally. They don’t want to share you with another person who they don’t know. Determine if you can balance taking care of your children’s needs with a new relationship.

 
Look into your situation and assess where you and your children are emotionally. This will help you determine if you’re ready for a relationship.
 
There are parents who don’t consider starting a new relationship because they feel that they need to focus on their children. They feel that they can’t have a relationship at all until their children are out of the house. Although some may think that this is best for children, there can be some negative consequences to this.
 
A parent who focuses primarily on their children may find that they don’t have any time to develop their own life, hobbies, interests, friendships or take care of themself. This works for young children as they want and need their parent’s undivided attention. But as children get older, they start to develop their own life, friends and activities. If their mom or dad is solely focused on them, the children may feel responsible for their parent’s happiness and feel guilty that they don’t want to spend all their time with the parent.
 
There is a middle ground. You can have a relationship and your own life after a divorce while putting your children as a priority. One of the reasons to develop your own life outside of your children is that you are your children’s main role model. If you are happy and have a full life, it encourages your children to have that too.
 
There is no one right or wrong answer. Think through what you want and take your time with every decision. Talk to a trusted friend or therapist to help you think clearly. Balance your own needs with that of your children. You know what is best for your children and for yourself. Have faith in yourself that if you take the time and space you need, you will come up with what will be best for you and your family.