Author: H312ud1

Creating a new family tradition can be a way to bring cheer to the holidays for both children and adults, especially when the family structure is changing due to divorce. One way to bond in a new family dynamic is to incorporate ‘matching outfits’, such as holiday themed pajamas or the famous ‘ugly Christmas sweater’. The following ideas can help you develop new holiday traditions after divorce.

Ideas to Try

According to The Suburban Mom blogger Jen Burg, whose blog has featured a variety of expert tips on navigating family life, matching pajamas can help kids feel cozy and relaxed during the holidays and provide an opportunity for fun family bonding activities. She also notes that the pajamas can make for some cute pictures!

How About the Ugly Christmas Sweater?

The ugly Christmas sweater has earned its place in American lore and has become increasingly popular in recent

In the Northern Hemisphere the 2022 winter solstice will occur on December 21st. Winter solstice is when the North Pole is tilted farthest away from the sun.  At this time, the Arctic Circle is cloaked in darkness and the longest night of the year happens.  The winter solstice also signifies a turning point where the days begin gradually to get longer again.

A Global Celebration

Many cultures around the world have a long history of celebrating the winter solstice.  Cultures attach great meaning to the solstices because the sun is a sacred star at the center of the solar system.  The sun not only serves as a function of time, but it also sets the weather and indicates agricultural patterns, which were extremely important for historical civilizations.

In South America, the Inti Raymi festival reigns supreme for celebrating the solstices.  Inti Raymi honors the Inca sun god Inti.  There is

Are you newly divorced or separated? For some who are freshly separated from a spouse, the holidays can be difficult. There are a lot of emotions at play, and the holidays are generally a time to be with friends and family. When you are in the middle of a separation, all those traditions and memories are reminders of how things used to be. Everything is upended as you begin splitting your former lives. It may be a lonely time, but there is a reason why the separation was necessary. Never forget that this choice was made for long-term happiness. One great way to get that feeling of a fresh start is to begin some new traditions.

Check Out the Movies

With Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO, Disney, and myriad TV stations all having streaming apps, watching movies and TV shows has never been easier. A great way to spend a weekend

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC

Dating after divorce can be challenging for many parents who have been out of the market for some time. But it’s even more challenging for your children. It’s only natural for them to be resistant to any new partner you bring into their lives. And sometimes they can be downright belligerent to keep you from dating long after your divorce.

No matter how much you love your kids, they can represent obstacles to your future love life. This is a reality whether your divorce was relatively painless or high conflict. As a parent you don’t want to create more emotional drama or trauma for your children. You want to protect them from unnecessary conflict and competition for your attention. When you introduce a new partner, especially one who may be a parental figure in

Healthy boundaries are essential in recovery from codependency. They both build and reflect self-esteem. Learning to have healthy boundaries is an essential aspect of individuating and becoming an individual and autonomous person.

Boundaries are learned in childhood. Some dysfunctional families are enmeshed and your individuality and boundaries are ignored or openly disrespected in words or actions; for example, verbal and physical abuse, prying into your personal communications, denying your privacy, and disrespecting your feelings and opinions. Trauma and toxic shame damage our boundaries. Boundaries are also taught and modeled by parental guidance and behavior in how to treat other people.

First, you must be able to identify your feelings, believe you have rights and value, and then have the courage and the words to express your boundaries. Signs of recovery and healthy boundaries are:

1. You’re able to say “no.” Codependents hold

Dear Terry,

I read your blogs often but haven’t found one to help me get over my feelings of resentment toward my boyfriend, Kyle.  We’ve been dating for over three years and living together for almost two. During our time together we’ve gotten over many hurdles – including adjusting to crazy work schedules and my returning to school to get a degree in nursing.

But honestly I just can’t seem to get over the fact that he has been communicating with his ex–girlfriend, Kim, for the past few days and never told me about it. The way I found out is that I saw a text message from her and recognized her name immediately. I knew that they had an amicable breakup right before we met but it hurts me that he was hiding the fact that they’ve

Three days after your wedding, it happens: You realize you’ve made a HUGE mistake. No worries, though, you can just get an annulment, right? In North Carolina, maybe not! Unless you fall into a few very specific categories, you are going to have to get a divorce instead.

What is an annulment? How is it different than a divorce?

Divorce ends a valid marriage, whereas an annulment is a court order declaring your marriage invalid. As far as the court is concerned, since your marriage was void or voidable (wasn’t legal when it happened), once you get an annulment, you were never technically legally married at all. To get divorced in NC, you have to have been separated for a year, but you can file for an annulment at any time.

Who qualifies for an annulment?

Only people in certain narrow categories qualify for an annulment:

• Incest: If you and

These days more and more people are beginning to see and treat their pets as though they are their four legged or winged children. But no matter how much you love them and treat them like family, according to the state of Texas they are property and thus an asset to be divided during a divorce.

Unlike for your children, the Court is not going to set a possession and access schedule for your pets, at least not by default. If your pet is separate property, meaning it was adopted before the marriage, then you will likely be awarded the pet in the divorce. However, if it is determined that the pet is community property, meaning it was adopted during the marriage with community funds, things can become more complicated.

This doesn’t mean that the Court will decide the fate of the family dog the same way as the dining

BARHAM V. BARHAM, 2022-NCCOA-798 (unpublished).

Facts: Plaintiff and Defendant are parents of eight children. At this time, all eight children have attained the age of majority (18). There have been numerous child support orders in their case for their children. When their seventh child graduated from high school and turned 18, a motion to modify was filed and a consent order was entered that required Plaintiff to pay $716 a month for support for the final eighth child. Plaintiff instead paid 1 cent per pay period. Plaintiff also filed a motion seeking to establish credit for overpayment of child support, alleging that he overpaid from 2013-2019 by $12,486.95, and that overpayment should be applied to the prospective award from the modification. Defendant filed for contempt for nonpayment of support. Trial court found Plaintiff in contempt, he appeals.

Issue: Did the trial court err by holding Plaintiff in contempt for not