Beth McCormack

After many years representing children in divorce, here is the truth I wish every parent understood before they said a word against the other one.

Your child carries both of you inside them. Your blood and your ex's blood move through the same small person. So when you tear down the other parent, even quietly, even when you believe every word, the child does not hear it as information about their mother or father. They feel it as something being torn inside themselves.

You do not have to pretend the other parent is perfect. You only have to be careful with what that child is made of.

The strongest thing you can do for your child is protect their right to love the other half of who they are.

Most people believe a divorce is won in a courtroom. After more than three decades in the most complex cases in the country, I can tell you the opposite is closer to the truth.

The clients who come through with the least damage are not the ones who fought hardest. They got quiet. They got strategic. They refused to let the emotion of one terrible season make the decisions that would shape the next decade of their lives.

That is the whole practice, in one line.

You can't fight your way to resolution. You have to think your way there.

One of the most profound lessons I have learned in my family law practice and in my personal life…

Children don’t need perfect parents. They need parents who are committed to putting their needs first.

I know this not only from decades of experience as a family law attorney, but also as a Guardian ad Litem for children, and as a parent who has gone through divorce myself.

As a Guardian ad Litem, my role was to advocate for children's best interests. I spent countless hours listening to kids, observing family dynamics, and helping make sure their voices and needs were heard by the court.

That lesson took on an entirely new meaning when I navigated my own divorce and co-parenting journey with my daughter, Lucy.

Divorce isn’t easy for any family. But when parents can focus on creating stability, reducing conflict, and working together to support their children, it makes all the difference. Sometimes you just have to put the rope down and stop the conflict.

I have handled countless cases where there is at least one high conflict parent, and realize more than most, that my advice here simply can’t be heeded. Hiring a family law attorney who can strategize how to navigate a high conflict parent is crucial.

At the center of every divorce involving children is a child who deserves to feel loved, supported, and protected.