Children, especially preteens, are sensitive to changes. Divorce can be particularly challenging as it involves numerous changes, such as new living arrangements or routine adjustments. While navigating these, one concern you may have is maintaining stability for your children while managing your finances. A potential solution to this dilemma is ‘bird nesting’ or ‘nesting.’ Nesting is when the children stay in the family home (the ‘nest’) while the parents take turns living there. This method can ease some financial concerns since you don’t have to keep two homes for your children. Aside from ..read more

Resolving custody matters is often a lengthy process. Those going through a breakup or divorce may wait months for a hearing in front of a family law judge. Even those with existing custody orders may need to wait quite some time for a modification hearing to review proposed changes to the custody arrangement. Not all families have the luxury of waiting numerous months to resolve custody issues. There are some scenarios in which a parent believes that taking action immediately is of the utmost importance. An emergency petition asking a judge to intervene immediately is possible in certain scen ..read more

A couple facing divorce often fight in a battle of conflicting emotions. Disputes usually surface because of disagreements on child custody, support, property distribution and other arrangements. Separating couples could resolve these disputes extra-judicially, but when you fail to reach an agreement, you could end up fighting in court. Resolving issues in court through litigation The traditional route of divorce is through litigation. When you and your spouse disagree on the terms of your divorce, you can bring it up during the legal proceedings. You must attend hearings and present evidence ..read more

Vacationing together as co-parents with your children can be a rewarding experience that fosters lasting memories, strengthens family bonds and demonstrates a united front of parental support. However, this kind of adventure requires a proactive approach and mutual respect to better ensure that a trip is enjoyable for everyone involved. As such, you’ll want to start by planning your shared co-parenting vacation together. This involves choosing a destination, activities and accommodations that are agreeable to both parents and exciting for the kids. Planning should be a collaborative effort, ta ..read more

When parents are considering divorce, they are often rather worried about the impact that it will have on their children. In fact, there are even couples who decide that they’re going to stay together specifically because they want to provide that home environment to their kids. They are not personally happy in their relationship, but they decide not to end it anyway. But there are two reasons why parents shouldn’t think this way and why it can actually be problematic. Staying together can be worse First and foremost, some studies have found that parents who stay together are actually creating ..read more

The internet has made it easier than ever before for people to learn about various matters of concern. What would have once required a trip to the library or sit-down sessions with professionals can now be achieved from the privacy of one’s favorite armchair. Unfortunately, ease of access to information online sometimes gives people a false sense of security. For example, people sometimes assume that they can do their own research and then represent themselves during divorce proceedings. A pro se or in pro per divorce occurs when someone serves as their own legal representation. There are many ..read more

Are you and your spouse joint business owners? Perhaps you started the business together, fell in love and got married. Or maybe you had already gotten married and you decided to go into business so that you could each work together and generate your own income, rather than looking for a job. No matter how your family business began, you will likely be worried about the future of it if you’re getting a divorce. You know that you could sell the business so that you can split up the money, but you may be wondering if it’s possible for you to keep the company. Divorce is going to be a major chang ..read more

Are you considering mediation or collaborative divorce to end your marriage rather than a litigated divorce to help begin to build a good co-parenting relationship and minimize the negative effects of divorce on your child? You probably don’t need any more evidence that a long, combative, litigated divorce is generally bad for children.  Here’s something, however, that you may not know. Mental health professionals list parental divorce as one of the “adverse childhood experiences” (ACE) that can cause toxic stress in children so serious that it follows them into adulthood in the form of p ..read more

Parents who divorce or break up have to find a way to share responsibility for their children and divide time with them. It can be so difficult to navigate matters related to financial support and parenting time that people may overlook other issues. For example, there are many day-to-day decisions that parents have to cooperate with each other to address as they raise their children cooperatively. Parents manage everything from a child’s education to their healthcare. The decisions that parents make about their children can be the source of conflict as they attempt to co-parent. Technology ha ..read more

It’s important to plan out the conversation you have with your children about an upcoming divorce. This shouldn’t be a spur-of-the-moment conversation or something that you approach with little effort. It can have a major impact on how the children react to the divorce. So what should you keep in mind for this conversation? Below are a few tips that will help. Gather the whole family If you and your spouse tell the children together, you’re able to present a united front. You can show the children that both of their parents will still be involved in their lives. On top of that, you ensure that ..read more