In August, Mr. and Mrs. Neuman went to municipal court in Calgary, Alberta to get divorced. The couple had already taken the required seminars and filled out the forms. On their way out, the divorced couple did something unusual – they stopped in front of the courthouse sign and snapped what has been dubbed a “divorce selfie,” and the pair were smiling.
The former Mrs. Neuman posted the pic on Facebook and within a few hours, it had been shared 11,000 times. What is going on? While our society has been accustomed to stressful divorce battles, the dawn of conscious uncoupling and friendly, “good divorces” has been a welcome change.
While sceptics wonder how a divorce can be considered a proud moment, or a time to post a pic of the newly divorced couple smiling, one must consider the message behind this latest divorce trend. As the frequent and recurring caption reads, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
To the Neumans, of Calgary, it all came down to the kids. Initially fearing a child custody battle, Mrs. was especially pleased with the fact that her and her husband were able to put their differences aside and achieve a “good divorce.” In their Facebook post, Mrs. Neuman wrote that their children will never have to choose between them.
Celebrities Are Striving for a ‘Good Divorce’
Anyone who has read the headlines in the past few years, they’ve heard about “conscious uncoupling” from Gwyneth Paltrow, and how Ben Affleck and Jennifer are mediating their divorce, despite the absence of a prenuptial agreement.
Among the divorce selfies on Facebook and Instagram, the couples maintain that divorce does not have to be a tragedy or a failure. Instead, these couples are showing the world that it is possible to maintain a positive attitude throughout the divorce process and even in some cases remain friends.
When you consider the alternative – a stressful, if not protracted and costly divorce battle that can leave one feeling emotionally bankrupt, it makes sense why more couples are embracing this new divorce trend.
As Mrs. Neuman wrote on Facebook, she and her ex were respectfully, thoughtfully and honorably going forward as friends and “parenting partners” for their children.
In the caption under her divorce selfie on Facebook, Mrs. Neuman said that now that readers know it’s possible, she urged them to please consider their way (referring to a friendly divorce) or share their message. As of early September, nearly 35,000 people already took the Neumans’ message to heart, according to the Washington Post.
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