Why dating during divorce may not be a good idea

The scenario has been played out on soap operas for decades. Marriage between overworked husband and unsatisfied housewife dissolves. After having a terrible fight, housewife finds comfort in someone else. Overworked husband eventually finds out, and tries to take revenge against the new love interest.

For the sake of levity, this scenario also is played out with an overworked wife and a husband who is trying to find himself after making a career change. Regardless, the overriding theme is that dating during the process of a divorce is fraught with problems. This post will identify a few.

Confusion among children – Kids normally want to see mommy and daddy together, since parents are the center of their lives (especially young kids). When parents begin to form new relationships, they may be confused about whether such a relationship is okay, and they may feel pressure about telling the other parent about it.

Increased jealousy – As we alluded to earlier, spouses who may even hate each other may hate it even more seeing their soon-to-be ex moving on without them. When the jealousy of warring spouses erupts, it could lead to protracted litigation. In these situations, no one wins.

Higher litigation costs – When couples fight over things during a divorce, the costs of divorce litigation increases. For example, discovery motions are filed and argued, choosing who should serve as a custody evaluator, and complaints about compliance with temporary custody orders commonly emanate from feelings of jealousy.

If you are in a budding relationship and you are getting divorced, having a conversation with a family law attorney can be helpful.