Your first Christmas or holiday after your divorce is going to be different. I still remember my first Christmas. I struggled to keep my routines as close to “normal” as possible, especially for my then-toddler. It’s a special circle of emotions that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. So, my fri...

The holidays are hard enough on their own. Add divorce to the mix and suddenly every twinkling light, every family gathering, every song on the radio can feel like a small ambush. Your first set of holidays after divorce will be weird, scary, and painful. But they can also hold moments of genuin...

Divorce changes so many parts of life, including your financial world. Whether you initiated the divorce or not, adjusting to new expenses, new responsibilities, and a new vision for your life can feel overwhelming. The good news is that you can rebuild. You can regain clarity. And you can create...

De-escalating co-parenting conflict comes down to four habits: slow your response time down, keep your tone deliberately neutral, stop treating your ex's choices as a competition, and never bring the marriage into a conversation about the children. Most co-parenting arguments escalate because som...

Telling parents about divorce can be hard enough. I have seen the tension in a divorce increase too many times as a result of meddling family members or friends. During the holidays, we tend to interact with family members and friends more than we do all year long, so there is even more opportuni...

The first Christmas after divorce is the hardest one, and it helps to expect that rather than be blindsided by it. Set your expectations low, decide the schedule with your co-parent in advance, keep the traditions that still feel right and replace the ones that don't, and give yourself permission...

Writing a letter of gratitude to an ex is not something most people plan to do. In the early weeks and months after a divorce, gratitude is usually the last thing on your mind. But for those navigating life as co-parents after divorce, something can shift. The person who once felt like an advers...

Rebuilding After Divorce Going through a divorce can leave your finances feeling completely upended. Suddenly managing two households instead of one is costly, regardless of your income or the terms of your settlement. If you're struggling with money after a divorce, you're not alone—and there i...

  Talking to your kids about divorce is one of the hardest parts of the whole process. You are managing your own emotions while trying to find the right words for theirs. You want to be honest without overwhelming them. You want them to feel safe and loved even as everything around them is chang...

Helping kids through divorce comes down to four things: keeping conflict with their other parent away from them, telling them the truth at a level they can hold, keeping their daily life as predictable as you can, and getting support for yourself so you are not processing your divorce in front of...