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DECEMBER 2023
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Advice for Divorced Parents on the Holidays
The holidays are marked by memories of the past and hope for the future. That’s especially true if you have children. During this time, you probably have vivid recollections about prior Christmas mornings — when the kids got up early and rushed to the tree to see what awaited them. Those moments can change a lot when you are a divorced parent sharing custody of your children. Depending on your parenting plan, you might need to alternate the holidays spent with your child with your former spouse. That change can be difficult to get used to. But as a father and grandfather, I have a different perspective I want to share with you. When I look back at the wonderful Christmases I enjoyed as a kid, the best part of the holidays for me was about the holiday break more than the actual day of Christmas. Christmas morning was fun, but that lasted for about an hour. Christmas Day itself can be dull for children. Sure, you have a nice meal and toys. But the memories of the holiday break that have stayed with me the most through time have gone beyond the day itself.
When you have a day with them, plan some fun things they will remember. It doesn’t have to be anything expensive or elaborate. You could find a hill for sledding or tubing. Or you might decide to go to the mall, visit the food court, and have everyone choose what they’d like for lunch that day. And don’t forget that 3,000-piece jigsaw puzzle that’s in the box. A few days after Christmas, you might want to gather your family around the table, spread the pieces on a table, and work on it together. Those are the kinds of activities that build togetherness and memories. If you are the divorced parent of a child that you’re sharing custody with, try not to be too upset if you won’t be able to see your children run to see what gifts await them on Christmas morning. You will get to do that plenty of times. The real memories that your children will take away from their Christmas break are too big to fit within one day. They will cherish their time with you and remember those moments when they know you are focused solely on them. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family. May the spirit of togetherness help you build warm memories that will stay with you always. –Scott Ashby
brothers and sisters, along with other things we did together that didn’t take place on the day itself. I remember times when my dad wasn’t as busy with work between the holidays. He would take some extra time off after Christmas, and we had extra time with him and my mom. Together, we would do things as a family that created strong memories. The underlying message I want to give to divorced parents who share custody of their children over the holidays is to remember that Christmas Day itself isn’t the only time when you’ll be able to share the spirit of the season. You can enjoy that same togetherness on other days, too. “The real memories that your children will take away from their Christmas break are too big to fit within one day.”
I remember fun activities like sledding with my parents and my
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IF THEY DO STAY UP, MAKE IT FUN! Of course, if you would rather stay up with your children, feel bad lying, or don’t think you could pull the wool over their eyes, then there are some creative ways to keep them entertained until midnight without a meltdown.
SMART STRATEGIES FOR A KID- FRIENDLY NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY Make It to the Countdown Without a Meltdown
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Number colorful balloons and let your children pop one every 30 minutes or hour. You can even fill the final balloon with confetti to celebrate New Year’s Day! Have everyone dress up fancy to make your at-home party feel more like a New York celebration. Create a bucket list together for everything you want to do in 2024. Get outside and play with sparklers! Every hour, turn off the lights, play a song, and crack some glow sticks for a dance party! Make fun and easy party appetizers together. Look through old photos and videos of the past year together.
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A LITTLE SECRET WON’T HURT ’EM. Have you tried a faux countdown? You can save yourself the headache entirely by implementing a little white lie. Changing all the clocks forward isn’t exactly new, but now, with the help of streaming services and YouTube, you can make a bulletproof fake countdown. At your preferred bedtime, play last year’s New Year’s Eve countdown on the TV. Amp up the celebrations with a rowdy countdown, cheering, and glasses of sparkling apple cider! Then, bring the festivities to an end and get your kids ready for bed. It’s as easy as that!
Holiday celebrations are some of the most exciting moments for kids, be it trick-or-treating or tearing open Christmas presents. But properly celebrating New Year’s Eve may be a struggle for the little ones. If you’ve let your kids try to stay up until midnight in previous years, you may have experienced sleepiness, tantrums, and cranky mornings the next day, which isn’t the best way to start the new year. Well, this time around, you can be better prepared! Thanks to countless clever parents sharing their tips and tricks, we’ve compiled the most genius hacks that will make this New Year’s Eve not just kid-friendly but actually fun!
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When you plan ahead, you can ensure that your kids have enough activities to make it to midnight without any hassle. Of course, the fake countdown is always an option too!
Taking a Closer Look at the Factors Involved
As a parent, you naturally want the best for your children and their future. And financial considerations are a big part of providing that protection. Child support is one form of financial support. When in place, it ensures that children can maintain a quality of life similar to what they had experienced before their parents separated. The court applies state support guidelines and sets an amount to supply the needs of food, shelter, clothing, and other necessary elements of life. GENERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Both parents are legally required to contribute a certain amount of financial support for their children. Let’s take a closer look at some basic eligibility requirements for receiving child support.
Typically, there is an “obligor,” which is the parent providing the support payment. This is usually the parent who doesn’t live with the child most of the time. In this case, the obligor pays the “obligee,” the custodial parent. However, there isn’t a guarantee you will receive payment. Eligibility is based on three primary elements, including a legal relationship, a legal obligation, and custody.
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Legal Relationship: A legal relationship normally means that a person who is looking to receive support is the child’s biological parent, though adoptive parents and guardians can also receive funds.
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Legal Obligation: A legal obligation exists when the person who is being asked to
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TAKE A BREAK
THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF BROKEN FAMILIES Safeguarding Children’s Mental Health
The impact of divorce on all members of a family can be extremely difficult to bear. But children of divorced parents are the most susceptible to long-term adverse effects. In many cases, they have a difficult time understanding and coping with what can be a traumatizing time. How long does the impact of a divorce last for the children involved? Since no two people or situations are identical, the answer to that answer can vary from person to person. However, there are common challenges that children experience after divorce. These include an increased chance of mental disorders and behavioral problems, falling behind academically, and even developing addictions. There are steps that parents can take to minimize the potential for these adverse results. AVOID PUTTING CHILDREN IN THE MIDDLE. One of the most positive steps parents can take is not to put their children in the middle of their differences. When parents show respect to their former spouse by not putting them down or talking badly about them, they also teach their children how to constructively make their way through those (and other) disagreements that they will experience in their lives. FIND COMMON GROUND. Co-parenting is another powerful tool in helping children adjust and continue
to grow positively through a divorce. In general, drama between parents adds stress to everyone. Former spouses who can find common ground and communicate well with each other prevent their children from absorbing the stress of seeing their parents bicker. BE PRESENT IN THEIR LIVES. One of the most effective ways to help your kids is to be there for them. If you have divorced from your spouse, you can combat the confusion that your children feel. A big, positive step you can take is to discuss feelings openly with your children, making sure they know that the divorce doesn’t mean that your relationship with them will change.
SOLUTION:
STAY CONSISTENT. Another crucial element
after a divorce is consistent disciplinary practices in each household. In some cases, one parent may be tempted to allow their children to have a freer rein to compensate for the other parent’s absence. However, by being consistent, coming up with a baseline set of rules for both houses, and following through on enforcement, the children will have a sense of order to keep them on track as they grow. Going through a divorce is stressful for adults and children alike. While you can’t eliminate that reality, there are steps that you and your former spouse can take to minimize the long-term effects of your separation on your children.
provide support has some level of legal obligation to provide support.
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Legal Custody: To be eligible to
receive support a person needs to have legal custody of the child.
The stresses that are involved with divorce are significant, and
those can be worsened when there are financial concerns. However, you have options to pursue the support that your child is legally entitled to receive. If you’re considering your legal options, the experienced team at Pacific Northwest Family Law can help. Call us at 564-212-2733 to schedule your consultation.
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1 | Sharing Custody During Christmas
2 | Genius Hacks to Celebrating New
Year’s Eve With Kids
Are You Eligible to Receive Child Support?
3 | Reducing the Far- Reaching Effects of Divorce 4 | A Guide to Keeping Your Teen’s Concert Experience Scam-Free
Don’t Let Your Teen Get Scammed: A Guide to Safe Concert Ticket Purchases
Is your teen ecstatic to purchase concert tickets for the first time? While they may be ready to hand over their savings to get front-row seats to Olivia Rodrigo or Ariana Grande, they should be well-informed on how to safely purchase tickets. With digital tickets now being the primary format for stadium events, selling counterfeit tickets is easier than ever. According to the Better Business Bureau, reports of ticket scams have spiked from 13,168 to 16,762 from 2020 to 2022 alone. With top-selling music artists going on tour recently, including Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, scammers have taken advantage of younger, inexperienced ticket buyers. These online swindlers use social media like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram to offer ticket deals that are too good to be true. SAFETY TIPS EVERY BUYER NEEDS TO FOLLOW While you may know the tried-and-true signs of an illegitimate listing or scammer, your teen may not. Meanwhile, even the most seasoned concertgoers receive impressively realistic (yet fake) tickets and show up at the venue just to be turned away. For everyone to stay safe, there are some essential rules you should follow when purchasing tickets online.
• Always buy tickets from official websites and double-check that the URL is correct. Some scammers create look-alike sites to fool buyers. • If buying tickets from a resale site, ensure they are part of the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB), which confirms they are legitimate. • Never purchase tickets through an individual on social media or Craigslist. • If buying from a person, only do so from someone you know, like a friend, coworker, or relative. • Don’t buy tickets with peer-to-peer payment services such as Zelle, Venmo, or CashApp. If the purchase is a scam, these platforms don’t have buyer protection like credit cards. • Make sure the section and seat number really exist at the venue. If you and your teen follow these tips, you can ensure they are safely spending their money and will actually see the show of their dreams!
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