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Specialty tag(s): Pre-Divorce Guidance, Divorce

How to Prioritize Your Teen’s Needs During a Divorce

Esther R. Donald | April 3, 2024

Prioritizing the needs of teenage children during a divorce starts with understanding what those needs are, which includes examining each teen’s schedule and responsibilities. Then, you can seek ways to help your teen continue to meet their obligations and pursue their interests with minimal disruption. Often, this means that you’ll need to consider the child’s busy schedule when creating your own custody schedule. Both parents should cooperate to work out a schedule that allows their teenage child to attend after-school activities, practice with their sports team(s), and/or make it to their shifts at their part-time job just as they did before the divorce. You’ll also need to make sure that both parents are on the same page about household rules, such as what time curfew is or when the child can borrow a parent’s car.

The most effective way to ensure that a teenage child’s needs are met is to communicate and collaborate on constructive solutions, which may require outside help. Increasing numbers of parents are choosing a parenting coordinator, an expert in adolescent development who can help them resolve problems that arise later, and including them in the divorce decree. This proactive approach ensures that you’ll be able to handle whatever comes up down the road.

At Goranson Bain Ausley, our attorneys can help you work toward a resolution that takes care of your child’s needs as well as your own. Contact us today to set up a consultation on your case.