Since My Divorce

Divorce May Be The Best Option

April 25, 2013 By Mandy

Divorce may be a choice but generally it's a choice of last resort. Most people would prefer not to be faced with the choice. In this last segment with Lucy, Lucy reflects on how people reacted to her divorce and how her life might have been different if she hadn't chosen divorce. Here's Lucy: After knowing us and seeming like the perfect couple, people just were like, “I don’t … [Continue reading...]

Filed Under: Perspectives on Divorce

Being A Stepmom Is Tough

April 24, 2013 By Mandy

Stepmoms have a bad rap. Think about it. Before you've even spoken or had chance to demonstrate your parenting skills you have a reputation and it's not a good one. Think Snow White and Cinderella. In reality, being a stepmom requires some special skills and with the complex dynamics of a blended family I think knowing how to choose your battles and resolving conflicts are the top … [Continue reading...]

Filed Under: Parenting After Divorce

Getting Married For The Second Time

April 23, 2013 By Mandy

Second weddings have a beauty of their own

Second weddings tend to be very different from first weddings. Certainly, for my interviewees their second weddings have meant less parental involvement, less tradition, less theater and staging, and less money. But it's not just about less. Second weddings seem more real, more authentic, and more intimate for both the couple and their guests. And that to me is the beauty in second … [Continue reading...]

Filed Under: The Marriage

Wisdom From Divorce: Family Game Night Is Date Night

April 21, 2013 By Mandy

Introducing your new partner to your children is a big occasion giving you another opportunity to assess how well your partner's values match yours and the type of relationship that might develop between them and your kids. Choosing an activity may make it easier than just having dinner because the activity itself can generate conversation. But what activity? We all sat around and played … [Continue reading...]

Filed Under: Wisdom From Divorce

Knowing When It’s Not Working For You

April 20, 2013 By Mandy

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Filed Under: Inspiration

Finding Love Offline

April 18, 2013 By Mandy

When it comes to dating after divorce, you have to be in a dating state of mind. It's unrealistic to expect your next long term partner to suddenly, magically appear on your door step but the good news is that plenty of people do fall in love again and go on to enjoy richly-rewarding, loving relationships. It's ten years since my current guest, Lucy got divorced. She's now married to a man she … [Continue reading...]

Filed Under: Dating After Divorce

Running A Marathon After Divorce

April 17, 2013 By Mandy

Take on a physical challenge after divorce

Taking on a physical challenge after divorce is very common. I'm not sure why. Without a partner and with shared parenting, there's often more time for activities, it can be a way of meeting new friends and there's often a strong desire to take better care of yourself. I think there's also an element of proving to yourself that you can do something that maybe you've never done before or haven't … [Continue reading...]

Filed Under: Life After Divorce

Knowing How To Argue

April 16, 2013 By Mandy

Knowing how to argue constructively is an essential life skill. It pays off at work and it's fundamental to enduring relationships. Fighting or disagreeing with your partner is not inherently bad. Quite the opposite -it's a red flag when couples don't disagree. My current guest, Lucy was married to her first husband for seven years. During that time, she didn't speak up for herself. She didn't … [Continue reading...]

Filed Under: Life After Divorce

When He Chooses Drugs Over You

April 14, 2013 By Mandy

The accepted wisdom is that you can't work on marital problems when there's an underlying addiction issue. You have to treat the addiction first and then you can work on the relationship issues. And ... we all know by now that it is the person with the addiction problem who has to want to change. So what does it feel like when your spouse has the addiction and doesn't want to change: I lived … [Continue reading...]

Filed Under: Wisdom From Divorce