The first time I learned what divorce meant, I was seven and a half. The year was 1955 and it was my first trip to New York City. My parents had dropped me off to stay overnight with my divorced Grandpa Eddie and his new wife Henrietta. The next day my divorced Grandma Annie would
To some, divorce can be a release. To others, it is a devastating blow. For others still it heralds a new and better beginning. So why does the experience vary so much, and why do men especially seem to struggle with divorce? Yes, that is right, men struggle with divorce. They are not automatons, things
Traditionally couples divorce as adversaries, hiring separate attorneys to wrangle over child custody and support, maintenance, assets and anything else they care about, even the dog. It’s high stakes poker. Ante up: legal costs, kids, stress. But there’s another way. Increasingly couples are turning to divorce mediation as a realistic and healthier alternative. A couple
“Wheneve r you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.” ~William James Conflict is a normal and natural aspect of personal and professional relationships. As human beings, we are primed to respond to stress with a “fight” or
Children, as much as possible, should be spared from the burden of dealing with the issues of their parent’s divorce. Juggling school and getting kids to after school activities can be very challenging for all parents, but especially so for divorced parents. Read and heed these back to school tips to prevent your child from
One of my memorable claims to fame as a parent was following the school bus on my five-year-old twin’ daughters first day of Kindergarten. Our family lived in a semi-rural area with isolated roads where drivers regularly exceeded the speed limit. Sure enough, on that very special and important morning, the bus driver sped along
Before people in Illinois get married, they can play an active role in managing their assets and properties to protect themselves and their financial future. The manner in which title to property is held can have a dramatic impact on property division when a divorce occurs. As part of this, it is valuable to have
Not all divorces are ugly. Some exes mediate instead of hiring pit bull attorneys, sit comfortably together at their kids’ school performances and maintain the same rules in each household. Child support is paid on time. Neither parent speaks ill of the other in front of the children. Timeshares are flexible to support children’s changing
We’ve all heard about nasty divorces. Maybe a family member, friend or co-worker got caught up in one. Or maybe your own divorce turned bitter, where every little detail became a prolonged negotiation, where each party was geared up for a battle–and got it. The worst of these divorces is when even the kids become
We asked adult children of divorce to share how their parents’ splits affected their lives in the long run, for better or for worse. This story came to us from Crystal Pearson, age 50.* (As told to Natasha Burton.) My parents’ divorce would have screwed me up a lot less if they’d bothered telling me
