When You and Your Spouse Share Friends and are Getting Divorced

When You and Your Spouse Share Friends and are Getting Divorced

One of the more difficult parts of a divorce is how you manage the friendships you share with your former spouse. Your friends may feel like they have to choose one of you over the other. If they do try to maintain friendships with each spouse, it can take some careful social planning to avoid awkward situations.

Despite these difficulties, it is possible to maintain shared friendships after your divorce. Below are some tips to help you accomplish that:

  • Talk about it with your spouse: Discuss your concerns with your spouse and figure out what an ideal situation would look like moving forward. Which relationships would each of you prioritize?
  • Set some ground rules: It might help to set some parameters for how you will move forward in your shared friendships. For example, you should never try to use your friends as weapons against each other, and avoid speaking ill of your former partner in front of the friends you share.
  • Outline potential social situations: How do you think you will feel about being around your former spouse after your divorce? It can help to broach this subject with your spouse during the divorce process to mitigate any awkwardness that could occur in social situations.
  • Communicate with your friends: Be forthcoming about your struggles with your friends, and help them become more comfortable with the idea of maintaining relationships with both you and your former spouse if they wish to do so.
  • Accept that there will be some lost friendships: It is possible that some friendships will end — especially those that involve your former spouse’s closest friends. There is no doubt that this can be painful, but if you accept this fact from the start, you can take some of the sting away when it comes to pass.

If you could use sound legal guidance as you approach the divorce process, contact a trusted Long Island family law attorney with Bryan L. Salamone & Associates.

Post a Comment

Your email is never published nor shared. Required fields are marked *

*
*