Reflections & Insight

A mother recently told me about the time when she and her daughter were separated from one another for the first time after the divorce when the father was taking the child on vacation. Although she sensed her daughter’s apprehension and uncertainty about going on vacation without her mother, she turned this situation into an opportunity to teach her daughter resilience. This mother put aside her feelings of sadness and worry in order to support her daughter’s ...

Halloween is often overlooked when creating parenting plans. It never seems to get the attention that Christmas, Fourth of July or even Labor Day receive. Because people don’t get time off for Halloween, it is often simply forgotten in custody orders. However, it can be pretty frightful if the parents are acting like monsters on the night that the kids are supposed to be having fun. Here are some tips to make sure that Halloween is a treat instead of ...

January has been dubbed “divorce month” — and with good reason. It shows a higher number of divorce filings than any other month. Going through a divorce during the holidays can be emotionally draining, which is why many people don’t do it – they put it off until January. People don’t want to upset the status quo, rituals or routines over the holiday season; they want a peaceful Christmas, Hanukkah, festive season or happy New Year’s. They also don’t want ...

According to an article in the New York Times, more Americans 50 and older are divorced than widowed. A half a century ago, 2.8% of Americans age 50 and older were divorced. By 2000, 11.8% were. In 2011, according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 15.4% were divorced, another 2.1% separated, and 13.5% widowed.

Based on those statistics, the divorce rate among people 50 and older has doubled since 1990. That’s a significant increase since half the married U.S. population ...

These days, as soon as November hits, we are bombarded with all things holiday. From advertisements, to recipes, to school events and water cooler chatter, we just cannot escape the frenzy of this supposedly joyous time of year. However, for those going through a divorce, the holiday season may be more depressing than delightful. Family traditions are altered, children are struggling, and finances are often tight. Nonetheless, there are some steps that you can take to try and make the ...

The fact that an estimated half of all marriages in America now end in divorce doesn’t make breaking up any easier to do. The staggering emotional impact of a break-up can not only leave you feeling completely broken — loss, anger, anxiety, and loneliness are common emotions — but can also take a significant toll on your health.

“Every thought, every action, every word that you say creates a physical response by the brain,” Kathleen Hall, stress expert and founder of ...

More and more couples are splitting up as they grow older. In fact, a quarter of all divorces now involve those over 50. Reflecting this trend, the New York Times began a new feature on their Sunday Vows page called ‘Unhitched-Lessons Learned When It’s All Over’. Divorced couples are asked to look back at their life together, reflect on its unraveling, and try to understand why their marriage could not be saved.

The trend is puzzling. Many people spend years looking ...