Divorce advice from friends, family not always reliable

If you are considering ending your marriage, you may feel very alone. After all, you are contemplating ending a relationship that may have lasted for years, and you do not know whether you will make the right choice. These feelings are normal, and it is certainly worthwhile to give your decision its due consideration before jumping into anything.

In efforts to feel less alone, you may want to discuss your situation with those close to you. Of course, this may result in those parties, some of whom may have gone through divorce themselves, trying to offer you advice on how to handle your situation. While they likely have good intentions, you certainly want to remember that their advice may not actually suit your needs.

Not the best advice

Throughout your discussions with friends or even online research, you may come across some bits of divorce advice that already have you questioning your own views on your personal circumstances. Some tidbits you may come across and would likely be better off ignoring include the following:

• Wait until your children are grown: Some people may offer this advice because they believe that your children will suffer less over your divorce if they are out of the house when it happens. However, if you and your spouse cannot get along, the children may suffer more by remaining in a hostile environment.
• Work harder on your relationship: This advice may easily flow from the mouths of others, but only you know how hard you have already worked on your relationship. If you believe that you have put forth all the effort you can and are willing to give, working harder to save a relationship may not be a realistic option.
• Get over it: Even if you are the one who initiates the divorce, it can still wreak emotional havoc. Some people may tell you to get over it or pull yourself together soon after your divorce or before it even starts, but remember, you are allowed to feel how you feel during this time.

These examples are only a few of the many notions that you could come across while contemplating divorce, so it may benefit you to understand where to obtain reliable information.

Legal assistance

If you have questions about ending your marriage, you may want to discuss your situation with a family law attorney. Speaking with a legal professional could allow you to better understand Georgia laws relating to divorce, how the details of your situation could affect a case and what concerns you may need to watch out for. Even if you have not yet decided to take the step of filing a divorce petition, having this information could help you make an informed decision.