Texas parents know their special needs children better than anyone. Even with that being said, it can be incredibly difficult for them to navigate big changes like divorce.
There are not a lot of guidelines for how to handle divorce with special needs children. Classic advice on handling this conversation might not apply. As a result, special needs parents might feel a little bit lost.
Adapting to change slowly
Your child might have a hard time accepting changes of any kind, let alone significant changes like divorce. As a result, you might want to gradually introduce changes or the concept of divorce.
Instead of switching immediately to a split custody agreement, you and your spouse might want to devise a different custody plan that prioritizes your children’s needs. Instead of having your child switch houses every other weekend, maybe you and your spouse take turns spending time with the children in the family home.
Working together with your ex-spouse
It’s more important than ever that your children know their parents still love them. As a result, you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse might need to work together and see a lot more of each other than other parents after divorce.
While there are obviously reasons that you and your spouse are seeking a divorce, you should try to co-parent if you can do so peacefully. Some parents might seek the help of a family therapist to make this happen, even after the divorce has been processed and finalized.
Of course, this is only if it is safe for you and your spouse to work together like this. If there are significant reasons that you can’t co-parent with your spouse, you don’t want to put yourself or your children in more duress to have the other parent involved.
Sometimes divorce is inevitable and genuinely the best thing for everyone, regardless of how hard it is initially. As long as you’re patient and prioritize the needs of your special needs children, you have a good chance of creating a situation that is in everyone’s best interest.