Child-Centered Divorce Archives - Child-Centered Divorce

Navigating High-Conflict Co-Parenting Wh...

Co-parenting can feel impossible when one parent consistently misuses alcohol. It’s essential to create an environment that prioritizes the child’s well-being while reducing stress and miscommunication between parents. When done correctly, co-parenting can provide children with a sense of stability and safety, even in the most challenging circumstances. Establishing Boundaries and Expectations One of the most effective strategies in high-conflict co-parenting situations is establishing clear boundaries and expectations. Set specific rules regarding alcohol use around the child, as well as guidelines for how time with each parent will be managed. Consider drafting a comprehensive parenting plan that details when the parent who struggles with alcohol abuse will have contact with the child, and how both parents will communicate about issues that arise. In high-conflict situations, communication is often strained, and small misunderstandings can lead to significant arguments. Therefore, keeping all communication child-focused and fact-based is vital. Utilizing structured communication methods

Child-Centered Divorce

Why Parents Reject Or Abandon Their Children After Divorce

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC Following divorce, most parents are eager to see their children as frequently as possible. Often this desire results in heated battles in or out of court focused on custody issues. In many cases, co-parenting is the ideal option. A parenting plan is set into place and the children are moved between two homes giving them continued access to both parents. In many cases, parents may not want to "share" the children. However, they often realize this is in their child's best interest, and therefore come up with an arrangement they can live with. In families that don't co-parent, usually one parent has primary custody of the children with the other parent taking the reins on a scheduled basis. This regular visitation may be over weekends, specific days per month, or periodic visits during the year if distance is a factor. In some cases, however, one parent

Child-Centered Divorce

Why Men Are Often More Challenged By Divorce!

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC Most everyone is emotionally impacted by divorce. The psychological toll can be even more dramatic when children are involved. There’s little doubt that a relationship breakup ramps up stress for both partners. However, several factors seem to indicate that divorce may be even more challenging for men than for women. Here are four reasons why divorce stress can take a greater toll on men: He’s more likely to be blindsided by the divorce In general, women are the first to initiate or file for a divorce. This seemingly sudden announcement often comes after she spends years feeling unhappy or frustrated in an unfulfilling marriage. Frequently her husband is not aware of her feelings, or he shrugs off her complaints as needless whining or nagging. Sometimes these unhappy women reach out first to family and friends for support. Others seek out professional counselors or coaches. When, despite

Child-Centered Divorce

Divorce Mistakes: It’s Never Too Late To Make Amends – For Your Children!

Cooperative co-parenting supports children By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC Whether you got divorced several weeks ago or it's been several years, most of us can acknowledge that we've made some mistakes. Perhaps we lost our tempers at an inappropriate time and watched our children painfully internalize the experience. Maybe we referred to our ex in a rather unflattering way, making our child very upset and storming away in anger. Chances are, in the heat of the divorce drama, we settled for a decision or two that we later regretted and still feel guilty. Or we made a child-related agreement that, in hindsight, was not in our child's best interest - but we don't know quite how to remedy the situation. While some legal matters will involve only legal resolution, there are many post-divorce relationship decisions involving our children that we can remedy. Thankfully, it's never too late

Child-Centered Divorce

How Guilt Can Impact You and Your Divorce

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC Many caring parents I speak to admit to feeling tremendous guilt during and after their divorce. It's easy to understand why. Parents who are aware of the emotional toll a separation or divorce can take on their children often feel torn about whether they made the right decision. Asking relevant questions can be healthy! Are they being selfish in moving ahead with the divorce? Will this experience psychologically scar their children for life? Will the kids ever forgive them - or their other parent - for initiating the divorce? Are they making the right decisions regarding co-parenting and visitation? Are they overwhelmed by the challenges of parent to parent communication? Are they failing in discussing relevant decisions with the kids? These are valid questions to ask yourself. The answers should be seriously considered before moving into divorce. However, divorce is never a black and white issue.

Child-Centered Divorce

Don’t Divorce Your Children’s Grandparents!

Grandparents - grandchildren - affected by divorce By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC When parents divorce, each member of the family is affected in unique and personal ways. This is influenced by the age of the child, their gender and their relationship with their siblings. Equally important is how close they were to each parent. Many other factors impact the physical, mental and emotional repercussions in the months and years ahead. One that's too often overlooked are the grandparents. Their lives can be forever changed and scarred by the complexities of divorce. Custody issues are hard enough for parents to battle out. Few take into account the consequences for grandparents. Their unconditional love for the grandchildren can play such a healthy and rewarding part of normal family life. It can be a refuge your kids will depend on post-divorce as well! Don't make innocent grandparents pay the price!

Child-Centered Divorce

Talk “To” – Not “At” – Your Child … Through Divorce and Beyond!

Communication with your child is essential. By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC Most parents don't know how to talk to their children. It's one of the underlying reasons for parent-child communication, respect and trust issues within the family parent-child communication dynamic. You wouldn't think one would need to be reminded to talk to your children. Unfortunately, many parents need just such a reminder. Especially in today's mega-paced culture where just sitting down to a family dinner together seems to be a major accomplishment. Too often busy parents find themselves talking "at" their children, but not "to" them. And most especially, not "with" them. This, of course, is problematic in any family trying to raise socially, emotionally and spiritually healthy children. However, it is especially dangerous if that family is facing the challenges of divorce or separation. Think about your parent-child communication skills and rapport. If they're not optimal

Child-Centered Divorce

Protecting Your Pets As Well As Children During & After Divorce

Pets help children cope with divorce By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC Abandoned pets are one of the many sad outcomes of divorce. Marital problems, conflict and ultimately divorce is behind a significant number of pet turn-ins for animal shelters every year. Often one spouse doesn’t want to take the dog or cat while the other can’t keep them due to downsizing or reduced income. Many rental apartments won’t take pets over twenty pounds or allow more than one animal per unit. Sometimes couples will fight dramatically over family pets. They bring the conflict into mediation or attorney negotiations with as much emotion as their battles over child custody. In most states pets are still considered property, much like a car or antique furniture. The emotional connection to the family is not a factor in determining pet custody or relevance. Heartbreaking outcomes for children Frequently the divorcing couple

Child-Centered Divorce

Author Sarah Armstrong’s Book Guides Moms to a Good Divorce

The Mom’s Guide to a Good Divorce is a practical guide for any woman going through a divorce, filled with everything she needs to think through in order to always do what is best for her children. The guide is written by Sarah Armstrong in a conversational tone from one mom to another. Served up in bite-sized pieces, the goal is to help women with children navigate the entire divorce process and post-divorce phase in a manner that will ultimately put it in the category of a “good divorce.” According to Armstrong, after reflecting on the benefits noted in her book, there may be more willingness among couples to consider a collaborative-type divorce arrangement, mediation or an amicable traditional divorce rather than the usual contentiousness that is all too familiar. Coping with the stress compassionately One strategy Armstrong employed was to create a strong network of close girlfriends and “energy

Child-Centered Divorce

eNew Beginnings: the Nation’s Leading Online Program for Divorced and Separating Parents!

Being a single parent after a divorce or separation can be challenging. That's why Family Transitions developed the eNew Beginnings course. It’s recognized as the most well-researched and effective online parenting classes available today. Equally important, It’s also designed to support moms and dads in being the kind of parent they want to be during this stressful time. eNew Beginnings focuses on the building blocks of effective parenting after divorce or separation. Through separate classes for moms and dads, the programs offer the best evidence of positive outcomes for children. Both parents benefit from learning: Practical Tools to Protect Children from Conflict How to Reduce Interparental Conflict Ways to Decrease Children’s Mental Health Problems Listening Tools to Get Children to Share More Skills to Improve Parent’s Relationship with Children Effective Tools to Decrease Children’s Misbehaviors Positive Activities to Enjoy with Their Children Long-term payoffs: Proven Positive Outcomes: The eNew Beginnings

Child-Centered Divorce

Navigating High-Conflict Co-Parenting Wh...

Why Parents Reject Or Abandon Their Chil...

Why Men Are Often More Challenged By Div...

Divorce Mistakes: It’s Never Too Late To

How Guilt Can Impact You and Your Divorc...

Don’t Divorce Your Children’s Grandparen

Talk “To” – Not “At” – Your Child … Thro

Protecting Your Pets As Well As Childre

Author Sarah Armstrong’s Book Guides Mom

eNew Beginnings: the Nation’s Leading On

Blog Posts by Date (Archives)

Categories