u/Any-Director-2774

I’m looking for real, honest experiences from people who have gone through a divorce with a child involved, specifically in Ontario, Canada.

What does it actually look like in real life, beyond what you read online?

• Were you able to keep things civil, or did it become complicated even if you both started off with good intentions?
• How does shared custody work in practice? What kind of schedules actually worked for you (50/50, alternating weeks, etc.)?
• How are holidays, birthdays, and special occasions usually handled?
• When it comes to decisions (school, medical, routines), is it truly shared or does one parent end up taking the lead?

Financial side:

• What did child support realistically look like in your situation?
• How were living arrangements handled?
• Roughly how much did the whole process cost, and how long did it take if things were relatively cooperative?

For the emotional/parenting side:

• How did it affect your child, especially if they were young?
• What helped make the transition smoother for them?
• Over time, were you able to maintain a healthy co-parenting relationship, or did things change?

And overall:

• Is a respectful, low-conflict divorce actually realistic?
• What do you wish you knew before going through it?
• Biggest mistakes to avoid?

I’m just trying to understand the reality from people who’ve lived it, not just legal descriptions. Appreciate any insight.