Category Archives: Children and Divorce
Custody and Visitation: Post-Divorce Holiday Planning
If you believe what you see in department stores, the holiday season has been in full swing for months. At this point, Ebenezer Scrooge himself could hardly deny that the holidays are now right around the corner. For divorced parents, it may be a season of unpredictable emotions as they find themselves trying to negotiate holiday plans and arrangements for their children. Stress, anger, and resentment may threaten to overshadow the happiness and joy of the holidays for those who are not prepared.
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Children of Divorce: A Family Approach to Discussing Divorce
Divorce can be a sensitive subject, especially when delivering such heartbreaking news to kids. While divorce means the dissolution of a marriage, when children are involved, positive guidance should be upheld by both parents. When parents work together, children of divorce have a much easier time adjusting.
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How Mediation Contributes to a Healthy Divorce
Research has shown that divorce is on the decline in the last few decades, but there were still 33,789 total divorces and annulments in Illinois in 2011, 2,310 which occurred in DuPage County. There are various emotions that arise during the course of divorce proceedings. Guilt, anger, and sadness are all overwhelming and can affect day-to-day life at any moment. How can one deal in a healthy way with the dissolution of a marriage?
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Child Custody: Could You Handle Your Child Choosing Your Ex?
A family dealing with divorce must account for many considerations. The divorcing spouses need to decide who will keep the family home, which in turn decides who needs to find a new place. Property and assets must be divided equitably, and arrangements made regarding the children. When making decisions regarding child custody in Illinois, the court is expected to at least consider the wishes of the child as to which parent with whom they wish to live. For many divorced parents, it can be very difficult to find out that their child’s preference is the other parent.
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Children of Divorce: Divorce May Affect Wealthier Children More
Nearly 900,000 divorces and annulments occur each year in the United States. Couples of all races, religions, and income brackets are divorcing at fairly consistent rate. One of the primary concerns about divorce has always been how children of divorce adjust to their parents’ breakup. New research, however, seems to indicate that children of divorce who come from low to middle-income families fare better after divorce than their higher-income counterparts.
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Two Homes Can Be Better than One for Children of Divorce
Life can get very confusing and complicated for children of divorce. Even in the best of situations, children can often feel like mere assets to be divided by their parents like furniture or cars. Regardless of how you feel about your ex during and after the divorce, it is extremely important that your children’s comfort and well-being are not overlooked.
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Modification of a Child Support Order
There are an estimated 24 million children in the United States currently being raised in single-parent homes. While this may not represent every child of unmarried or divorced parents due to the nature of the study, it clearly indicates that a large percentage of American children may be subject to shared custody, visitation and child support arrangements.
Protecting the Best Interests of Children, Part 2: Attorney for the Child and Child Representative
There are times when divorcing parents allow their own emotions to cloud their judgment related to what is best for their children. It is most often unintentional, but if not addressed, can have serious long-term consequences. Unfair or lopsided custody and visitation arrangements could result, for example, in one parent overwhelmed by responsibility while the other feels alienated. Possible negative effects are definitely not limited to the adults, and in fact, may be even more severe for the children.
Protecting the Best Interests of Children, Part 1: Guardian Ad Litem
It is not uncommon in divorce cases for each party to retain their own attorney for legal advice and representation through the process. Concerns regarding division of property, spousal support and arrangements for the couple’s children all need to be addressed and eventually resolved. Both sides typically have their own beliefs as to how the agreements should be established, often at odds with those of their spouse. In many cases, litigation is necessary.
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Mediation Can Reduce the Stress of Divorce
When a marriage ends, it often ends badly. Anger, resentment, and bitterness between divorcing spouses can make the process extremely stressful and difficult. It may even be impossible for some couples to sit in the same room together due to the powerful emotions involved. Many others, however, are able to peacefully work together as they navigate the necessary steps toward completing the divorce. For these situations, divorce mediation may fit the couple’s needs perfectly.