Child custody

After a divorce, you and your ex-spouse will need to discuss the importance of a child custody order. Without it, your child wouldn’t have a schedule that allows them to see both of their parents – which most courts see as an important factor in a child’s well-being...

When the court is deciding where the child will live and with which parent, it considers the child’s best interests. There are many factors that the court will look at when determining the best interests of a child.  A child's preference for one parent over the other...

One thing that can help children deal with a divorce is simply to have more consistency in their lives after their parents split up. It’s difficult for children when they feel like their life is unstable or that it doesn’t have any structure, and that is often the...

When you’re going through a divorce, it’s easy to become encompassed in the very adult feelings that come along with it. Parents can’t become so focused on their own emotions that they forget the kids have feelings, too. Children can become very stressed when their...

Child-related matters are often hotly contested at the negotiation table. Each parent wants frequent contact with the kids, but a fair plan may not look the same to both parents. Unless you want the courts to step in and decide on your behalf, you must negotiate a...

While a divorce may be in the best interests of all parties, it is rare that either spouse finds it easy to separate. Divorce may only come after many months of effort to reconcile their differences. The realization that the marriage is over can be hard to take. While...

Few, if any, co-parenting relationships are plain sailing. Even when parents are happily married, they often disagree on things. Disagreeing is fine. It is how you disagree that matters. Talking things over and negotiating your way to a compromise is constructive....

Most parents in the Chicago region expect their custody and parenting plan conflicts to end once and for all when their divorce concludes. However, since parenthood is forever, there can still be disagreements and disputes over parenting time after your divorce. When...

If you’re divorcing, even with the shared allocation of parenting time, you may not feel like you’re seeing your child as much as you’d like. Further, you may not be comfortable with the idea that someone you don’t know could be looking after them when your co-parent...

Children will feel many emotions when their parents are going through a divorce. This might be challenging, especially for younger children. It’s up to the parents to help their kids adjust to the new way of life.  Your children might not know how to relay what...