UPDATED 8/6/20
In the media, amicable divorces and legal separations are few and far between.
But one couple on the outs couldn’t help but celebrate their recently filed divorce with a selfie.
According to Huffington Post, Canadian couple Shannon and Chris Neuman filed for a divorce in late August after 11 years of marriage.
Then, they took a selfie and uploaded it to Instagram.
In the photograph, the two don’t look like a typical couple after a divorce; rather, they looked accomplished, happy even.
The Instagram caption read:
“Are we smiling because the partner we chose for forever turned out to not to be the forever partner we needed? Of course not. We’re smiling because we have done something extraordinary (we think anyway!) We have respectfully, thoughtfully and honourably ended our marriage in a way that will allow us to go forward as parenting partners for our children, the perfect reason that this always WAS meant to be, so they will never have to choose. They’ll never have to wonder which side of the auditorium to run to after their Christmas concert or spring play, because we’ll be sitting together. They won’t have to struggle with their own wedding planning because we’ll be sitting on the same side of the aisle – THEIR side.”
This is an act of co-parenting that reaches far beyond the typical happenings, and sets a bright example for divorcing couples with children. Oftentimes, children get caught in the crossfire, which proves to be traumatic in the long-term. The family court divorce process can be traumatic to the children if the parents are not concerned with how to divorce civilly.
Since posting the photo, the post has gone viral, and Shannon reports that they’ve received a great deal of positive feedback and support. However, some people found the photo to be of poor taste — after all, who would want to celebrate their divorce?
But for Shannon and Chris, it was more about celebrating their time together and the hard work they put into their marriage and children.
“If we were celebrating, it was the completion of the process and coming out on the other side as friends,” Shannon told Huffington Post.
Shannon hopes that their feelings of camaraderie and their focus on co-parenting will inspire other parents in similar situations to realize what’s really important.
Knowing that 42% of first marriages end in divorce in the United States, being able to know how to divorce civilly is important. A healthy divorce involves both parties to understand the reason why the marriage is ending and not letting their emotions get in the way of the decoupling. If even both parties are on good terms, enlisting the services a divorce attorney is still an important decision. There’s more to a divorce than knowing which court deals with divorce proceedings. The laws regarding divorce can be complicated and having a professional looking out for your best interests is crucial.
Laws concerning divorce are for the most part clear. There is a split of assets and if children are involved custody must be arranged. The family court divorce process tries to find a fair way to divide parenting duties equally. When determining child custody, knowing how to divorce civilly is important. Turning your kids into a bargaining chip is unfair to them and your former partner. A healthy divorce does not pit the partners against each other. For more divorce proceedings information, and to learn more about laws concerning divorce, contact a divorce attorney today.