Divorce. It is emotionally wrenching. It is physically exhausting. And, it can be financially draining. But, divorce, for all the bad it can be, can leave you a happier, healthier and all-around better person. While it may not seem so during your divorce, when the dust settles and the smoke clears, you just may find yourself in an even better place than where you were before the divorce began. Here are some ways that you find yourself better after your case is over:
Finances: Yes, you may have spent a pretty penny on your divorce proceedings, including on your divorce attorney. But, having to go through a divorce forces you to become a better budget maker and more accountable to yourself for the money you spend, especially if you were financially dependent on your ex. Now, you must learn to build your own credit, plan for expenditures and prepare for your own retirement. It is never a bad thing to become more financially savvy and fiscally responsible.
Confidence: You have been through a terrible time in your life and you have weathered the storm. You looked to yourself to find the strength to make it through, which can be especially difficult for spouses who relied emotionally on their partner for validation. Now, as you move forward with this next chapter, you move confidently, knowing that no matter what life throws at you, you can handle it on your own.
Reconnecting: Perhaps you were isolated socially during your marriage. Your old relationships with friends and family suffered and important connections that you had and relied upon were lost or strained. Now that you have moved on from your marriage, you have the time and space to reconnect with the important people in your life. You are able to dictate your own schedule and make your own plans to spend time with loved ones. You are also now able to explore new places, make new friends and forge new relationships when the time is right.
Creating New Roles: You now have the ability to create new roles in life for yourself. Of course, this is difficult for the spouse that saw their only role in life as “spouse.” It is important for you to find new niches in life and interests that drive your enthusiasm. Perhaps you always wanted to learn photography. Or, maybe you want to go back to school to complete your Master’s Degree. Looking at this time as a period of self-exploration is one way to overcome feelings of isolation and fear. Whatever it is that feeds your curiosity and fulfills you, you should explore. You never know what your new roles in life will be. Exploring untapped interests can be both a place to positively let go of the grief brought on by divorce and a way to redefine yourself.
Better Parenting: If you have kids, being divorce may just be an opportunity to become and even better parent. If you were living in a tense, hostile or unhappy home with your spouse and the children, not only did your children perceive the unhappiness, but your behavior was undoubtedly affected by the constant negativity in which you were residing. When you have a strong child custody and parenting time plan in effect, you can find yourself much less tense or agitated and you will avoid letting these negative emotions bleed through into your relationships with your kids. They will also be all that much happier to have a more centered and focused you.
According to recent Huffington Post blog on the topic, “It’s hard to get out of bed some days after divorce, let alone map out a future spent on your own. But at some point in the process, you start to realize that you’re so much more than your relationship status and that life goes on — and gets better — after divorce.”
If you are thinking about filing for divorce and want further advice or if you are in the midst of a divorce and want to learn your rights and responsibilities, please contact us to set up your initial consultation with one of our compassionate and knowledgeable family law attorneys.
My Child Graduated College: Can I Stop Child Support?
It’s the first September in a long time that your child is not going back to school. Now that he or she is graduated from college, does this mean that you can stop paying child support? Read more
Grandparents Caring For Grandchildren: Kinship Legal Guardianship In New Jersey
In 2002, New Jersey began the Kinship Legal Guardianship (KLG) program for children and caregivers who were involved with the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP), formally known as DYFS. There became a common trend where children who were removed from their biological parents by DCPP were being cared for by grandparents and other relatives, rather than strangers. Because of this common occurrence, the practice of Kinship Legal Guardianship was introduced as a better and more workable alternative to permanent adoption or long-term foster care.
Are you a grandparent considering becoming a kinship legal guardian to your grandchild? Here’s what you need to know. Read more
Grandparent Rights: Can You Get Visitation With Your Grandchildren?
Grandparents in New Jersey have limited rights when it comes to spending time with their grandchildren. The New Jersey courts and New Jersey law are strongly behind parents when it comes to questions regarding visitation and the roles that grandparents may play in the lives of the grandkids. Trying to spend more time with your grandchildren? Here are some avenues that grandparents can take when asking the court for visitation time with their grandchildren. Read more
Is Your Cheating Spouse A Sex Addict?
When you saw a sexy text message pop up on your husband’s phone, you confronted him. He admitted to having an affair not just with his co-worker, but also with two other women during your 10-year-marriage. He seems genuinely remorseful, has sworn it will never happen again, and has agreed to go to couples therapy. Your friends insist you should divorce him because he’s a sex addict.
But is his behavior a sign of actual addiction? Or was it “just” a case of serial infidelity? What’s the difference? Read more
Back to School Expenses and Child Support
It is that time of year again, when parents are preparing their kids for the inevitable return to school in September and the inevitable costs that arise during this time of year. New school clothes, perhaps? Necessary school supplies? And, once the kids are back in class, there will be school dances, school pictures and fundraisers. If you are a parent of child and paying child support, what is your child support intended to cover with regard to back-to-school costs? Read more
Can Co-Parenting After Divorce Really Work?
Last week, Big Bang actress Mayim Bialik released a YouTube video simply titled “Divorce.” In the video, the mother of two young boys “addresses what life is really like in a post-divorce world,” and how she manages co-parenting with her ex-husband Michael Stone.
So, what does Bialik, who is also a neuroscientist, recommend for successful co-parenting after divorce? She lays her plan out in three steps: Read more
Supporting Your Transgendered Child: What Happens When Divorced Parents Disagree?
Parents play a very important role in a gender-expansive and transgendered child’s life. As research shows, supportive parenting can significantly affect the transgendered child’s ability to have a positive outlook on their lives, their mental health and their self-esteem. On the other hand, research also shows that unsupportive parenting is correlated to gender-expansive and transgendered youth being more depressed and suicidal. As child psychologists who specialize in gender issues agree, the most crucial thing parents can do is allow children to be exactly who they are.
But what happens if you are a separated or divorced parent and your ex disagrees with you regarding how to parent, guide and support your transgendered child? Read more
Chris Rock Divorce: Psychological Parent Theory in New Jersey
Image copyright Arp, Depositphoto.com
Does Chris Rock owe child support for a child from South Africa he and his now ex-wife welcomed into their family while they were married, but never adopted? Read more
Are Celebrity Divorces in New Jersey Different?
When we were able to read Chris Rock’s divorce complaint that was filed in New Jersey in December of 2014, there didn’t seem to be novel or groundbreaking issues raised or allegations made. There was standard language regarding the couples’ prenuptial agreement and requests for child custody. While Chris’ allegations that his wife did not let him spend time with the children may seem scandalous in tabloids, this accusation of one parent against the other is made rather routinely in contested divorces that involve children.
What is unique about celebrity divorces in New Jersey is what is unique about all high net worth divorces in the Garden State: the sheer sums of money and the unique forms that assets take, that are at stake in these battles. Of course, press coverage about the couple is prevalent; coverage that 99% of all other divorced couples in New Jersey (even the rich ones) will not face. Read more
5 Unexpectedly Wonderful Things About Life After Divorce
Divorce. It is emotionally wrenching. It is physically exhausting. And, it can be financially draining. But, divorce, for all the bad it can be, can leave you a happier, healthier and all-around better person. While it may not seem so during your divorce, when the dust settles and the smoke clears, you just may find yourself in an even better place than where you were before the divorce began. Here are some ways that you find yourself better after your case is over:
Finances: Yes, you may have spent a pretty penny on your divorce proceedings, including on your divorce attorney. But, having to go through a divorce forces you to become a better budget maker and more accountable to yourself for the money you spend, especially if you were financially dependent on your ex. Now, you must learn to build your own credit, plan for expenditures and prepare for your own retirement. It is never a bad thing to become more financially savvy and fiscally responsible.
Confidence: You have been through a terrible time in your life and you have weathered the storm. You looked to yourself to find the strength to make it through, which can be especially difficult for spouses who relied emotionally on their partner for validation. Now, as you move forward with this next chapter, you move confidently, knowing that no matter what life throws at you, you can handle it on your own.
Reconnecting: Perhaps you were isolated socially during your marriage. Your old relationships with friends and family suffered and important connections that you had and relied upon were lost or strained. Now that you have moved on from your marriage, you have the time and space to reconnect with the important people in your life. You are able to dictate your own schedule and make your own plans to spend time with loved ones. You are also now able to explore new places, make new friends and forge new relationships when the time is right.
Creating New Roles: You now have the ability to create new roles in life for yourself. Of course, this is difficult for the spouse that saw their only role in life as “spouse.” It is important for you to find new niches in life and interests that drive your enthusiasm. Perhaps you always wanted to learn photography. Or, maybe you want to go back to school to complete your Master’s Degree. Looking at this time as a period of self-exploration is one way to overcome feelings of isolation and fear. Whatever it is that feeds your curiosity and fulfills you, you should explore. You never know what your new roles in life will be. Exploring untapped interests can be both a place to positively let go of the grief brought on by divorce and a way to redefine yourself.
Better Parenting: If you have kids, being divorce may just be an opportunity to become and even better parent. If you were living in a tense, hostile or unhappy home with your spouse and the children, not only did your children perceive the unhappiness, but your behavior was undoubtedly affected by the constant negativity in which you were residing. When you have a strong child custody and parenting time plan in effect, you can find yourself much less tense or agitated and you will avoid letting these negative emotions bleed through into your relationships with your kids. They will also be all that much happier to have a more centered and focused you.
According to recent Huffington Post blog on the topic, “It’s hard to get out of bed some days after divorce, let alone map out a future spent on your own. But at some point in the process, you start to realize that you’re so much more than your relationship status and that life goes on — and gets better — after divorce.”
If you are thinking about filing for divorce and want further advice or if you are in the midst of a divorce and want to learn your rights and responsibilities, please contact us to set up your initial consultation with one of our compassionate and knowledgeable family law attorneys.