Bath Time, Bedtime, and Boundaries: When Courts Step Into Parenting Choices
By: Managing Attorney and Principal Sarah Bennett (SLN) A recent celebrity custody dispute involving Rumer Willis and her ex-boyfriend, Derek Richard Thomas, raised a question that comes up more often than many parents expect: how specific can a custody order be about what happens inside a parent’s home during that parent’s custodial time? According to […]
Talking to Your Kids About Divorce: What to Say (and What Not To)
Divorce can be a confusing and emotionally charged experience for children, yet how parents communicate about it often shapes a child’s long-term well-being. Many guides focus on what to say—but few address the subtle ways parents’ words, tone, or timing can unintentionally create stress, guilt, or divided loyalties. This article explores practical strategies for talking […]
3 Tips for Successful Holiday Co-Parenting
If you are recently separated or divorced, you are likely still adjusting to what your “new normal” as a two-household family looks like. For many, figuring out how to create a holiday co-parenting arrangement may seem daunting and overwhelming – especially if your split has been less than amicable. Regardless of your current situation, the […]
Who Decides Where My Child Will Go to School?
Decision-making authority regarding your child’s health, education, and well-being is referred to as Legal Custody. The ability to make decisions regarding your child’s medical care, educational needs, and religious upbringing can sometimes be more important than the physical custody schedule. Legal Custody, just like physical custody, is determined based on the best interest of the […]
Co-Parenting During the Holidays
Whether you’re newly separated or have been following a custody arrangement for a while, co-parenting during the holidays can be difficult for even the most amicable of families. Holidays schedules can be the most contentious part of creating a Parenting Plan. While we try to keep your family celebrations in mind in crafting a custodial […]
Child Tax Credits and Stimulus Payments
What Do Divorced Parents Need to Know? Co-written by Carrie Lehmann and David DuFault As tax time and deadlines are now approaching, recent changes to the tax code and the new government stimulus package are bringing up a lot of questions for parents that do not file taxes together, or that have had a life […]
Holiday Co-Parenting and COVID-19
When most people think of holidays they think of celebrations, overindulging in giant meals and sweet treats, parties, presents, passing on traditions, and making memories with friends and family. However, the holiday season can look very different after separation or divorce, particularly when children are involved. Add in a global pandemic and this holiday season […]
Post-Divorce Parenting: Falling into Place
Originally posted in MomsCharlotte. When I meet with a parent for the first time, they are most surprised to learn that the children will typically share holidays once parents separate from one another. I have seen more tears than I care to share – in fact, a nice tissue box was one of the first […]
Can You Hear Me Now? Effective Communication, Co-Parenting, and Back to School
Everyone knows effective communication is vital, yet many of us still struggle with it. Poor communication often breeds confusion and frustration, and if you are in the midst of a separation or divorce focusing on effective communication becomes even more vital. As we (somehow) gear up for another school year, communication between divorced parents remains […]
Co-parenting: Birthdays After Divorce
If you have ever been around a child about to celebrate a birthday, you know that for most kids their birthday is one of the most important days of the entire year. When it comes to birthdays after divorce, a child’s desire for the “best birthday ever” may be compounded with mixed feelings now that […]