How to Talk to Your Kids About Getting Remarried

A divorce lawyer can provide you with help ending your marriage so you can move on. Singer Pistiner, P.C.  will work with you to move through the divorce process as quickly as possible and to make certain that you are able to create a parenting plan that allows you to continue building a strong and positive relationship with your children. 

Parenting after divorce can be challenging, but one of the big issues that can come up when you have ended your marriage is the possibility of getting married again. If you are planning on marrying a new partner when you have children from your old marriage, it can be difficult for kids to cope with the change.

Tips for Talking to Your Kids About Getting Remarried

When you have decided to remarry, you’ll need to take to your children about the decision in a sensitive way so kids are better able to cope with the change that is coming. Some tips to talk to your children include:

  • Explaining what the remarriage will mean for them: Kids need to know how their lives will change as a result of the remarriage. They should feel like they are an integral part of the new family unit that is being formed and should understand exactly how the new relationships will work.
  • Taking the process slowly: You don’t want to spring a remarriage on your kids as a surprise. This can be an especially big issue if you are not the custodial parent and if you don’t see your children on a very frequent basis. As A Practical Wedding explained, calling your kids out of the blue to tell them to attend your wedding — and putting them in a situation where the first time they meet their new stepfamily is during an extended visit — can be a recipe for tension.
  • Taking the time to answer questions: Kids may have lots of questions about the marriage and about basic logistics, such as what the new marriage will mean for their living arrangements and their family routine. You should be prepared to provide as much information as possible to ensure that your kids are secure and confident about what their lives will look like after the marriage.
  • Respecting family traditions: When you’re bringing a new family member into the house, this does not mean you should abandon your old routine altogether. Kids may have important rituals to them and your family may have always done things a certain way. Don’t allow the remarriage to suddenly and completely change a child’s routine or cause the child to have to live by a new set of rules.
  • Communicating with your ex: You don’t want your child to feel like he or she has to keep secrets or is being put in the middle, so make sure you tell your ex about the remarriage and what this will mean for your child.

You also want to make sure your children from a prior marriage are protected. Often, this means that you will need to create a prenuptial agreement. Without a prenup in place, if you passed away, you might lose the ability to leave the desired amount of assets to your children from another marriage. Rules on spousal elective shares and intestacy laws could result in your new spouse getting a larger share of your estate that you had intended for your kids.

By creating a prenuptial agreement, you won’t have to worry about how your kids will be provided for after you are gone as you can take control over leaving them the desired inheritance that you hope will serve as your legacy.

Getting Help from a Divorce Lawyer

A divorce lawyer at Singer Pistiner, P.C.  can provide invaluable help as you navigate the divorce process. We can assist you with ending your marriage and if you want to remarry, we can help you to create a prenuptial agreement in order to ensure that the children from your prior relationship are protected.

To find out more about what our firm can do to help you with all legal issues related to divorce and family law, download our free divorce guide. You can also give us a call at (480) 418-7011 or contact us online to get personalized help for your specific situation. Give us a call today to get started.

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