Amid rumors of a looming divorce, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are treading lightly after she and Violet Affleck became close.
Ben Affleck finds himself in a precarious situation amid his rumored looming divorce from Jennifer Lopez, and it involves those who are affected the most when it comes to these kinds of situations -- the children.
A source tells ET that Affleck, 51, and Lopez, 54, "are trying to make this transition as easy as possible and be gentle on their children. They don't want to make things more upsetting than they already have been."
Affleck shares daughters Violet, 18, and Seraphina, 15, and son Samuel, 12, with his ex-wife, Jennifer Gardner, while Lopez shares twins Max and Emme, 16, with her ex, Marc Anthony.
There are plenty of signs pointing to the marriage skating on thin ice, most recently with Affleck and Lopez spending their second wedding anniversary on opposite coasts -- with Affleck in California and Lopez in the Hamptons. Not to mention Lopez also embarked on an Italian vacation, sans Affleck, to enjoy some "breathing room." They also spent the Fourth of July holiday apart.
The source tells ET that this underscores what's already a complicated scenario, all of which is compounded by the fact that Lopez and Violet "have gotten close throughout Jen and Ben's relationship, and maintaining that closeness is important to everyone."
"Ben certainly doesn't want to cause any strain between Jen and Violet, and he is in support of them spending time together," the source tells ET. "It's a little tricky for him, but both Jen and Ben want all their kids to be happy, regardless of the issues they are facing in their marriage."
And there appears to be a seismic shift in the works that'll deeply impact this blended family's dynamic, like Affleck and Lopez listing their $68 million marital home in Beverly Hills.
"They are trying to sell their home sooner than later and want to move forward. They are hoping to have clear, new, and healthy directions for themselves and for their families," the source tells ET. "They are trying to be strong, but it is a sad time for everyone, and it is difficult to have to deal with everything playing out publicly."
Lopez and Violet's closeness was on full display last weekend when the This Is Me...Now star shared an Instagram video from her girls outing with Violet and her friend, Cassidey Fralin.
Last month, a source told ET that Lopez and Affleck are "trying to be as amicable as possible."
"They still want the best for everyone involved," the source said at the time, "including their kids, the rest of their families, and shared friends."
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