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How to Tell Your Parents and In-Laws You are Getting Divorced


Getting a divorce can put you in a pretty tough situation. One of the things that makes it tough is that at some point, you will have to tell people about it, especially your parents and in-laws. Doing so could help make things easier after that. But if you’re having difficulty figuring out what to tell them, maybe read the following tips below for ideas.

Lay It Out

The best way to do it is to just go ahead and put it out there. Be straightforward and just tell them that you’re getting a divorce. Be sure to explain why. It’s better that you just go on ahead and tell them why you’re getting a divorce rather than making your parents and in-laws guess why. They’ll at least know where you’re at and why it’s happening. So, make sure you tell them in such a way that they understand so that they don’t have to keep asking questions that might just end up complicating things.

Share as Much as You’re Comfortable With

If there are some details regarding your divorce that aren’t as important or that you don’t feel comfortable sharing with family members, then you don’t have to share it. Share what you think is enough, what you think they need to know, and what you’re comfortable with them knowing. You don’t always have to share every single detail. Remember that telling them about the divorce is more for your sake than theirs, so your best interests are still your priority.

Tell Them What You’d Want from Them

Be sure to tell them what you’d like them to do for you in light of the divorce. The reason why you’re telling them could be because you need help or just because you wanted to let them know. Either way, be sure to let them know so that you come out of this conversation with what you want to happen. If you want them to help you out through it, tell them. If you want your parents and in-laws to respect both your decisions, tell them. No hard feelings? Tell them. Do your best to clear it out and let them know what you need.

Telling your parents and in-laws about your divorce might seem difficult at first, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be simple and straightforward, and it honestly should be too, because you don’t need to make your situation harder than it already is. Just remember these things and maybe they just might help.

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Mr. Hutton is a Divorce and Custody Lawyer based out of Round Rock, TX. His background is with child psychology at Arizona State University where he received a B.S. in 2006, and he continued this by working with the Children’s Right’s Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law where he received his J.D. in 2009. Throughout his practice, he has been a strong proponent of utilizing modern technology to improve his practice and the representation of his clients. He currently is the technology chair of CAFA of Travis County and is committed to improving and modernizing the practice of law in Texas. If you have any questions you can contact him at timothy.hutton@austintexaslegal.com

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