3 things not to do when you divorce

Divorce is a major event in your life, and it can bring out a side of you that you might not like. If you don’t like that side of you, it’s very possible that others won’t either. Here are three things to avoid doing when you’re in the midst of a divorce:

— Playing “young and dumb:” The truth is that if you’ve been married for a while before you got hit with the divorce, you’re not young or dumb. You’re old and wise enough to avoid dumb behavior, including maxing out your credit cards on shopping sprees to make you feel better. Your ex will likely look over the credit card statement to see what you’ve spent the money on. It might be difficult to say that you’re a great parent when you’re spending way too much at the local mall.

— Acting out in public: It’s easy to end up on a friend’s Facebook page when you really shouldn’t. Getting fall-down drunk, showing body parts that aren’t meant for public consumption or getting into a bar fight are behaviors most people would associate with college kids. Not only will avoiding these action keep you out of your ex’s limelight, it might also help keep you out of jail.

— Don’t make new mistakes: There is no unlimited forgiveness in a divorce just because you’re in the midst of a divorce. While you may have keyed your ex’s car when you found it at the local motel, it’s over and done with now (at least if the criminal charges are over, too.) Own up to the mistakes you made and avoid making the same or new mistakes along the same lines.

These are just a few of the actions you’ll want to avoid during divorce. Your attorney will likely have others that weren’t discussed here that can help you put your best foot forward when walking into court.

Source: Huffington Post, “Adulting 101: Divorce Edition,” Christina Pesoli, May 31, 2016