February 26, 2022
When going through a divorce or separation, it’s not always the most recommended living situation to remain under one roof. That said, it isn’t easy to avoid.
Of course, you must make sure that you are on good enough terms with your former spouse to be living together during the proceedings.
There are a few ways to make the situation better, and lawyers recommend sticking to a few guidelines to keep the peace and prevent any further complications that may affect the process of legal separation.
Align Your Schedules Accordingly
Think about the new schedule and make sure that you can work with your former spouse’s schedule and vice versa. This is especially important if you have children or pets to take care of.
On top of this, you want to ensure that your schedules don’t cause disputes. Whether you prefer to have similar daily itineraries or opposite “shifts” for activities, aligning in the start will help you come up with a compromise and allow the two of you to remain civil as you spend some time together.
Establish Parental Responsibilities
If you have children, always make sure to discuss who will take care of them and when. If you have joint custody, you should always talk about the schedule together before making it a regular thing.
Since you are under one roof, you will want to establish time spent together and tasks needed to care for the children. Cleaning the house, bringing kids to school, making food and feeding them, and other related activities should be considered in a way that’s fair to both parties.
Divide Chores and Tasks
Dividing chores is another essential thing to consider when sharing the same space. Housework can become a source of conflict, especially when one party feels like the others don’t participate enough.
Even if you don’t see it, the other person could feel like they’re getting the brunt of it. Be open to sharing the task to avoid this. When necessary, divide them into more manageable parts. This makes having a common space and remaining roommates a more bearable experience.
Avoid Getting Intimate with Each Other
While it’s easy to understand that it may be your former spouse you’re living with, it can be easy to get too close. This is why it would be best to avoid getting intimate with each other.
Sure, it’s best to remain civil about things. However, you risk your progress if you end up having a physical relationship. This can bring up old wounds, complicate the situation, and deal more damage than intended.
Be Mindful about Dating
It’s best to avoid introducing a new person into the situation. This can cause more issues and can further complicate the situation.
If you date other people upon mutual agreement, try to avoid bringing dates into the house. While it can be done, it is not recommended to start dating other people while you are still undergoing divorce proceedings.
Set a Budget and Allocations
Before you agree to live together, you need to make sure that you’ve settled on a budget. It’s best to draw up a plan for the money and to have a system in place for sharing that. This avoids any financial disputes.
Conclusion
The biggest thing to remember when going through this is to be mindful of the circumstances. Make sure that you are both on the same page about the divorce proceedings and the custody of your children. It will help to avoid adding new things that could lead to unnecessary disputes.
If you need the advice and services of Jacksonville attorneys specializing in family law, contact Dorsey Law JAX.
