What Our Clients Are Saying:
“My experience was thorough, organized, and effective. And they were calm and decisive under pressure. Through and through, Ben and his team are consummate professionals.”
– V. C., former client
“I feel blessed beyond words to have found your team and to have had you on my side! Thank you so much for working with me the way you have! The knowledge and professionalism from your team made the other side look like amateurs, literally!”
–H. A., former client
“As the operations director of an adoption agency, I was probably a difficult client to please. Jenny was absolutely incredible. She was very knowledgeable, and I credit her for being the key player in my personal contested adoption of my twin boys! Thank you, Jenny, for all of your hard work and countless hours you put into our case. You are a difference maker!”
–Director, Quiver Full Adoptions, Inc.
How to Navigate Family Hangouts Post-Divorce Just because a family looks happy doesn’t mean they actually are. The fact that a mom and dad are smiling while playing with their children on a swing set or happily building a sandcastle on the beach doesn’t necessarily mean the parents are still married. Humans base so much of what they see on assumptions that they can have unrealistic expectations regarding the ways divorced couples can work together to raise their children. More couples are opting for mediation or collaborative divorce, meaning they try to work together to navigate the joy and chaos that accompanies parenthood.
Like most other things in life, this process is easier said than done. Issues that arose during the marriage can be difficult to forget once the dust settles post-divorce, but, more often than not, our lawyers here at The Stevens Firm work with people whose primary goal is to give their kids a well-rounded and happy childhood. For this reason, we encourage those who are considering separation or who are in the middle of a divorce to opt for mediation as a cooperative way to curb potential struggle. We also encourage those who have dissolved their marriage to consider whether open communication or even family hangouts are possible options. Clinical psychologist Lisa Herrick, Ph.D., recommends the following tips for divorced or separated parents considering these hangouts: • Test out the waters of togetherness in low-interaction situations initially. Herrick believes that sitting next to each other during a school game or performance might be a good starting point.
• Keep the lines of communication with your children open to gauge their feelings about the hangouts. • Be proactive when organizing these hangouts, and don’t just assume that your co-parent is fine collaborating on every activity. If you feel mediation or collaborative parenting sounds like an option you and your co-parent would like to explore, or if you want more information about the process, feel free to contact us at The Stevens Firm to schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys to discuss your situation.
2 www.SCFamilyLaw.com
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