Divorce Season Has Begun! Tips for Navigating this Sensitive Time

Tensions are mounting, resolutions and goals are building, holidays are over, and tax refunds are on the horizon, so we are kicking off Divorce Season in the world of divorce professionals. If you are contemplating a breakup, I will tell you the two questions those of us who lack a crystal ball or psychic abilities cannot answer.

How much will a divorce/breakup cost? How long will it take?Divorce professionals cannot give you reliable answers. The answers depend entirely upon you, your partner, and to some extent the lawyer you choose. If you and your partner are angry, violent, resistant to the breakup, inclined to use the children for control or leverage, or you hire an attorney who will not work with alternative dispute resolution, the process will be expensive. This is the time to walk away from every fight and focus on the future. There are steps you can take to keep both the cost and duration of the process down.

With children, practice different parenting schedules to see what fits. For example, start with alternating weekends. Try having the weekend conclude on Sunday, then try extending it to Monday. Maybe starting the weekend on Thursday after school works well? Try four days in a row for one parent and then reverse the pattern. Try dinner or overnight for a parent on different days of the week.

The focus of this should be on what works best for the children, their schoolwork, sleep and meal schedules, time with friends, and religious and extracurricular activities. Ideally, try this while you are living together. Let the children know who the parent on duty is for each time frame. The off-duty parent should give space and embrace this opportunity to read a book, watch a movie, go shopping, or visit family or friends.

For more information, please contact:

Wakeman Law Group, PC

741 S. McHenry Ave., Suite A

Crystal Lake, IL 60014

Ph: 815-893-6800

wakemanlaw.net