Divorce & Children

Hand writing Time to Plan concept with blue marker on transparent wipe board.

A parenting schedule? Hmm, we’ll figure it out later . . .

By Jennifer Safian / August 21, 2019

{3:30 minutes to read}  Robert and Chris had mediated their divorce a few years back. They had agreed that since Chris was moving away to another part of the country, it would be in the children’s best interest to stay in their home with Robert and remain at the same school. Robert and Chris had…

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parent’s divorce or spouse’s divorce: it’s all in how we say it

By Jennifer Safian / July 30, 2019

{3 minutes to read}   James was brought in to see a child psychologist by his mother: “I am very sad,” he said, “because my parents are getting divorced.” The therapist responded: “Your parents are not getting divorced, the spouses are getting divorced.” James was not quite sure what to make of this answer so the…

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One couple’s approach to divorce that puts the children first

By Jennifer Safian / June 18, 2019

{2 minutes to read}  In our previous article, How you handle the separation will have a lasting effect on your children,  we talked about the negative impact a poorly handled separation can have on children. We also made a few suggestions for divorcing parents. On January 3, 2019, the article 2 Divorce Lawyers Better After…

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How you handle the separation will have a lasting effect on your children

By Jennifer Safian / May 22, 2019

{3 minutes to read}  I recently watched the first season of the Genius series on National Geographic which follows the fascinating life of Albert Einstein. It spans from his early years as a patent clerk to the world renowned physicist who developed the theory of relativity. This series also gives us insight into Einstein’s personal…

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Co-Parenting Drama

By Jennifer Safian / February 20, 2019

{2:30 minutes to read}  Graduations, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, First Communions, school performances: all events that children want their parents to attend together. But what happens when parents are at such odds with one another that it is “impossible” for them to be in the same room? It’s important to remember that: This is your child’s special…

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Celebrating Children’s Birthdays Post-Divorce

By Jennifer Safian / December 12, 2018

{5 minutes to read}  Celebrating our children’s birthdays post-divorce can often create some practical and logistical issues as well as a lot of emotional stress. As parents, however, we need to remember that this is a special day for our children and put ourselves, our egos and our priorities to the side.

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Preserving Your Parental Relationship Through Mediation

By Jennifer Safian / November 28, 2017

{3:54 minutes to read} Brad and his wife Claire had decided to divorce, and Brad paid his attorney a large retainer to file the divorce action. But when he told his wife, she proposed they resolve their divorce through mediation. Brad called me and was wondering whether they could come to mediation even though he…

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Baby Steps by Jennifer Safian

Baby Steps

By Jennifer Safian / October 31, 2017

{1:36 minutes to read} I was looking back through some of my previous articles and came across a 2-part series that discusses the different approaches some couples take in order to put an agreement in place. As I was reading them again, I thought the insights were worth a revisit. The first one, entitled “Baby Steps,”…

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Even Happily Married Parents Disagree by Jennifer Safian

Even Happily Married Parents Disagree

By Jennifer Safian / October 18, 2017

{3:18 minutes to read} Divorcing parents who choose to have joint legal custody of their children, i.e. joint decision making, are often concerned as to what happens if they disagree on issues regarding their children. I usually begin by reminding them that happily married parents may also disagree on whether the child should: Go to…

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Divorce and Co-Parenting Between Continents by Jennifer Safian

Divorce and Co-Parenting Between Continents

By Jennifer Safian / October 3, 2017

{3:12 minutes to read} In our previous article, I wrote about the challenges that some divorced parents may encounter during the summer when children are on school vacation and out of their regular routine. In this article, I wanted to outline some of the challenges divorced parents are faced with when they live on different…

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