Though many people believe that a peaceful divorce is a thing of fiction, the divorce process and life after divorce does not have to turn former spouses into eternal enemies. Spouses going through divorce who have children may want to take the long term view because it is more than likely that you and your former spouse will see each other at various life events like births of grandchildren and birthday parties. Here are six factors that can lead to a peaceful divorce.

To begin, a peaceful divorce does not mean that you and your former spouse need to be friends. Instead think of the idea as a lack of toxicity between former marriage partners. According to an article written by Ashley Davis Bush from the Huffington Post, the first factor for a peaceful divorce is to recognize the part you played in the end of your marriage. As soon as responsibility is claimed the faster you can move forward.

Next, give yourself time to mourn the end of the marriage and as you go forward frame the end of the marriage not as a loss but as a transition to something new. All marriages are not meant to last forever and according to the author it is okay to let go in order to move on.

Third, the author suggests a peaceful approach to life which includes not giving in to speaking poorly about your former spouse especially if you have children. The flipside to that point is to not allow your former spouse to upset you with insults or comments. Bush advises, "Don't take the bait."

The fifth point offered by Bush is that the way you handle your divorce may influence your point of view moving forward. There is a choice between bitterness and the power to move forward positively. Finally, taking a long term view may help put divorce in perspective. Parents who go through divorce do not have to be friends, but divorced parents will likely be involved in each other's lives. A diplomatic stance will probably be more helpful than harmful in the long run.

Source: huffingtonpost.com, "Six steps to a peaceful divorce," Ashley Davis Bush, Jan. 25, 2012