Parade Magazine shares some fatherly advice from our President. President Barack Obama writes (excerpt): . . . When we work hard, treat others with respect, spend within our means, and contribute to our communities, those are the lessons our children…
Feeling guilty about your divorce? How to overcome guilt
Attorney Mike Mastracci shares Dr. Paul Wanio’s tips for understanding guilt in divorce: Nobody’s perfect and that’s OK. Everyone makes mistakes, even when they’re doing their best. Divorce is like death in that you and your children need to grieve…
Before the relocation: living together after filing for divorce
Dr. Deborah Hecker.com/ published tips for living together separately after the divorce; many suggestions would work well for that time period when a divorce is filed or imminent but neither spouse has relocated: Be civil and respectful at all times.…
Not quite a top ten list: 6 principles for raising healthy children of divorce
Attorney Mike Mastracci shared 6 principles for putting your children first: Avoid playing the blame game. Don’t blame your ex for the divorce, for lack of money, or for the loss of your home or possessions. Your problems with your…
Raising healthy children of divorce: a top 10 list
Dr. Deborah Hecker provides these suggestions for understanding and meeting the needs of their children: The “best interests of the children” does not mean the immediate gratification of the client and his/her need for me-me-me. Over and over again, the…
Keeping the kids out of it: Jon & Kate plus anger, infidelity, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera
The Detroit Free Press uses the Jon and Kate Gosselin saga at TLC’s “Jon & Kate Plus 8” as a springboard for a discussion about mistrust, honesty and forgiveness. And what about the children? Erin Chan Ding writes (excerpt): BENSKEY:…
How to divorce without tearing your family apart
guelphmercury.com shows that fighting in divorce court rarely produces a real winner. Joanne Shuttleworth writes (excerpt): “It’s not for everyone, but for most people, it allows more dignity and control over the matter,” Rinnie said. “With this process, we can…
Parenting your partner: If it works on your toddler, why not your husband or wife?
CNN and Parenting shows what happened when one mother applied parenting skills to her husband. By Fernanda Moore writes (excerpt): Strategy No. 1: Reward good behavior . . . . Good behavior rewarded leads to more good behavior. . .…
Say the right thing: 10 ways to defuse conflict and promote harmony
CNN and Real Simple starts us off with “10 things to say to keep the peace.” Laurie Puhn’s list includes (excerpt): 1. “Thank you for your opinion. I’ll think about it.” 2. “Is this a good time for you?” 3.…
How to help kids cope with divorce
Love and Logic’s Dr. Charles Fay offers tips for helping kids cope with divorce (excerpt): Remember that they need to feel free to love both of you. [Dont’ talk negatively about the other parent and watch your nonverbal messages.] Understand…
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes health insurance
The New York Times presents the flip side of a problem we deal with in divorce on a regular basis: health insurance. [See my related post on COBRA.] Kevin Sack writes about people who “rush to marry” in order to…
Keep your children out of the middle of your divorce
The Wall Street Journal uses the divorce of Robin Williams and his wife, Marcia Garces Williams, to remind us of the effects of divorce on children. Stephanie Coontz writes (excerpt): But a growing body of evidence suggests that normalizing divorce…
How to tell your children you are divorcing
The MayoClinic and CNN helps you help your children cope with your divorce (excerpt): How to tell them It’s best if you and your spouse can tell your children about the divorce together. Make sure the children understand that you…
How to talk to your teen about sex
The MayoClinic and CNN suggest we think of sex education as an ongoing conversation and provide advice on getting the conversation started (excerpt): * Seize the moment. When a TV program or music video raises issues about responsible sexual behavior,…
Co-parenting: A little more clear-headed after the divorce
NJ.com shows divorcing parents how to rebuild a functioning relationship, all for the sake of the kids. There is mention of collaborative divorce, but the focus is on keeping bitterness and rage from controlling your life. Kathleen O’Brien writes (excerpt):…
Empowering families to live deeper, richer, healthier lives
MLive-Grand Rapids Press put Maranda in the spotlight with her new “Where You Live” show. This show encourages us to be creative and effective as we guide our children toward becoming responsible and happy adults. The show airs at 7…
Child abuse by boyfriends and other unmarried companions
The Associated Press/Grand Rapids Press shows the abuse risk in cohabitation, including the abusive-boyfriend syndrome and the risk to children in nontraditional family structures. David Crary writes (excerpt): Among the findings: *Children living in households with unrelated adults are nearly…
The side effects of shacking up
The Edmonton Sun documents how cohabitation and living together are poor substitutes for marriage, especially when children are involved. Licia Corbella writes (excerpt): Couples have common-law relationships for a myriad of reasons — most of them terribly unromantic — and…
Breaking up is hard to do . . . for grandparents too
The New York Times peels back divorce proceedings to reveal the pain felt by the parents of the parties. Mireya Navarro writes (excerpt): And when children divorce, their parents’ lives are often dramatically changed, an impact that is receiving increasing…
“It’s pretty much a free-for-all.”
USA Today examines “extended adolescence,” the risks being taken by 20-somethings, and the growing up that comes with careers and marriage. Sharon Jayson writes (excerpt): Recent statistics back this up: 56% of births among women ages 20-24 were to unwed…