One of the many difficult elements of divorce is that in addition to losing your marriage, you may also lose friends and your relationship with members of your former Michigan spouse’s family. However, these losses are not always inevitable, and it may be possible for couples to reach an agreement about maintaining those ties.
Boundaries and circumstances
First of all, whether you and your spouse stay in touch with one another’s families after divorce might be affected by a number of factors, including what your relationship with family members was like in the first place and why the marriage ended. Former spouses should respect one another’s boundaries when it comes to keeping in touch with family members.
When children are involved
If you have children, there are additional considerations. They may have grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins that they want to stay in touch with. This could be the case even if you have sole custody. In most situations, it is usually a good idea to let your children maintain relationships with your former spouse’s family even if you are not interested in doing so. Your children and your former in-laws should not be punished because of animosity between you and your ex-spouse.
Changes in relationship
You may find that trying to keep a relationship with your former in-laws is too painful despite allowing your children to have one. On the other hand, you may simply need some distance for a while. If they treat you with animosity, you should still try to remain civil.
What to do about your former in-laws is one of the many difficulties you will face during and after the divorce. Whether you maintain a close, distant or nonexistent relationship, you should focus on what is best for first your children and then yourself.