When Your Friends Get Divorced
One of our greatest couple friends is getting a divorce. It sucks. It sucks for them. It sucks for their children. It sucks for us. It’s inevitable that when your friends get divorced at one point in time you are going to have to take sides. It becomes, in most cases, a he said/she said type of conversation whenever you get together. Naturally most times the men will stick together and the women will do the same. But what happens unfortunately is the fighting and bickering can easily get sucked into your marriage if you aren’t careful.
Anyway, I was thrilled when Sherry (not her real name) called me last week and told me, “We just found an amazing attorney that practices Family Law in West Palm Beach.” Why would I care? Well, in most cases when an attorney gets involved, a good attorney, there is less bickering. It’s never recommended to get into heated discussions with one another or with your friends when you are going through a divorce. It never ends up good.
My advice?
- If you have a friend going through a divorce, be there to listen but be careful about taking sides.
- Suggest they use a lawyer if they are having a hard time negotiating, especially if children are involved.
- Don’t bring your friends martial problems into your own marriage.
- Never, ever engage in gossip about the things told to you in confidence.
- Reassure their children that their parents problems are not due to anything they did.
- Say a prayer.
Divorce is never an easy thing for anyone, so the best you can do is be there for your friend. Listen and be a confidant.
