Appropriate Divorce Etiquette for Friends

 Posted on December 00,0000 in DuPage County divorce lawyer

What should you do when you are a married couple and have friends who recently divorced? How do you handle such an issue? When divorce occurs, it can create a ripple effect throughout a family or a group of friends. However, there are ways to avoid this ripple effect, or to handle it as best as possible.

Emotional Reactions Run Rampant

When a married couple sees their friends divorce, it can lead to emotional reactions within their own marriage. Married friends may think or say, “If it happened to them, why can’t it happen to us?” Yet remember, your marriage is your own. And even though you may have thought all was well with your friends, you cannot be certain what was going on behind closed doors. Your marriage may be completely different than that of your divorcing friends. Be confident in what you have with your spouse.

Also, when you are friends with a divorced couple, do your best to not choose sides after the divorce becomes final. Choosing sides will alienate one of the divorcees, and could cause them to lose some of their best friends in life. Research shows that divorced women may even lose 40 percent of their friends. Consider divorce etiquette and try to remain neutral.

Refrain from Gossip

One of the most important things to adhere to when dealing with divorcing friends is to refrain from gossip. Gossip will be prevalent following a divorce, and can hang around for quite some time, so be sure to stay away from it as much as possible. You might feel the pressure of hearing so much gossip that you need to tell someone. One suggestion is to talk about it with a disconnected third-party who does not know the involved couple.

Do Not Discuss Time Spent

Finally, make sure to not discuss your time spent with each divorcee. This will only cause fights between the two and yourself, and perhaps even create an element of jealousy. Also let each friend know that anything said while together will be kept in the strictest of confidence.

If you feel your marriage is moving towards divorce, please talk with an Illinois family law attorney today. Discussing your circumstances with a professional will help to better assess your situation and your needs. Call 630-409-8184 today.