“‘Ideal Divorce’ Is Kind of an Oxymoron, Isn’t It?”: Exploring the Bright Sides of Divorced Families and Advice for Doing Divorce Well

Although research has often focused on negative outcomes surrounding divorce, this study explores the perceived bright sides of divorce as well as advice for parents to create healthy postdivorce families. Findings from 14 interviews with adult children from divorced families revealed three bright sides of divorce: personal growth, appreciation of and seeing parents as individuals, and more people for support. For creating healthy postdivorce families, participants focused on conflict and civility, communicating openly with children, prioritizing children, the new normal, and time and togetherness. Findings support the need to create positive communication norms to support resilient children and families. Participant responses also lead to practical implications for parents and practitioners to help children navigate divorce.