Megan has been a stay-at-home mom to her three children aged eight, five and three for about four years now but with her alimony running out in six months she needs to think about going back to work. With no college degree, her earning power is limited and she weighs that against the cost of daycare and wonders if it's worth it. Here's Megan: In the state of Florida, unless … [Read more...]
Why Custody Negotiations Are Scary
I've just read an article on Huffington Post's divorce section, 'The Biggest Divorce Don't of All' which argues for couples sticking together and not divorcing. There are a number of points that I disagree with but one that I do concur on is that often times people approach divorce thinking that it'll all be over once the divorce is final. What they don't have is a true … [Read more...]
Negotiating Parenting Time
After our little Thanksgiving break, I'd like to pick up Julia's story again. You'll recall that Julia had been married for seven years when her husband said he wanted a divorce. He changed his mind a few months later but by then Julia had come to realize that life as a single parent would be better than the emotionally abusive marriage. A divorce may mean the end of the … [Read more...]
When Being A Single Parent Is Better Than Marriage
At first when Julia's husband told her he wasn't going to counseling anymore and he wanted a divorce, she begged him to stay. He left and five months later when he said he wanted to be with her, Julia said no, she'd rather be a single parent. I asked her why she changed her mind. Here's Julia: I had a lot of time to review what life had been like married to him and even … [Read more...]
When Child custody gets ugly
Today starts a new series with Katrina. This is a little different from the stories I usually feature in that when I met with Katrina her divorce was not yet final. She's still in the thick of things and in an ugly child custody battle for her two-and-a-half year old daughter. She hasn't gained the perspective that comes with time and yet there were elements of her story that … [Read more...]