You can tell that your marriage is going to end. You and your spouse are drifting apart. You feel like divorce is on the horizon, even though no one has said it yet, and you mention this to a friend.
Your friend, interestingly enough, tells you that having a child may bring you and your spouse closer together. They say that this could save your marriage. Maybe you’re just tired of being a couple, and you need to become parents so that you can find a new spark in your relationship. But will this work?
Having a child complicates things
In short, no, having a child is not likely to “save” your marriage. If anything, it’s just going to make the issues you’re facing more pronounced. Raising children is stressful and difficult, and it consumes a lot of your time. If you and your spouse are already unhappy or if you don’t work well together, you’re just going to make things worse because you won’t work together as parents, either.
Further, having a child complicates an eventual divorce. You’ll have to come up with a child custody schedule, determine how you can co-parent after the divorce, think about potential child support needs, and much more. You’ll also have to stay in touch with your ex after the divorce since you’ll forever be connected by the child.
Starting the divorce process
If you are going to get divorced, take the time to look into all of your legal options. You need to know exactly what steps to take, whether or not you have any children together.