Author: Robert Reeves

2-2-3 Schedule: Strike A Balance

One of the trickiest parts of co-parenting can be settling on a schedule. However, a popular model that many parents like to use is the 2-2-3 schedule. This plan could help you find a good balance that helps smooth out the rest of your co-parenting plans…

2-2-3 Schedule: How It Works

Basic breakdown

A 2-2-3 schedule is a pretty straightforward system. Basically, one parent will have the kids for 2 days in the week. Then, the other parent will have the kids for the next 2 days. Finally, the kids will go back to the first parent for the last 3 days of the week. With the start of the next week, the schedule will switch.

So with this schedule, you would have the kids on Monday and Tuesday. Then, your co-parent would have them on Wednesday and Thursday, before you get them back for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This then makes it easy to have you switch days next week.

The pros

There’s a good number of pros which come with a 2-2-3 schedule. For starters, it allows for both parents to see the kids throughout the week. It also does a good job in keeping that time you spend with them equal. Plus, it isn’t all that difficult to put it into practice, which makes it easy to get going.

Due to these factors, it’s a good schedule for reducing potential conflict. You won’t have to worry about arguing with your spouse over getting an even amount of time spend with the kids. Your kids will also not have to go very long without seeing their other parent, which can be especially good in those early stages after the divorce.

Potentials cons

Still, there are some things you should keep in mind about a 2-2-3 schedule. Mainly, it will require a good amount of coordination. You and your co-parent will have to make time for picking up or dropping off the kids, which can be hard if you’re already dealing with communication issues.

It could also be the case that the constant changes end up putting more stress on the kids then you initially realize. Instead, it could be better for them to spend more time at one house and get into a routine. Like with all co-parenting schedules, you’ll want to be flexible and make any changes as needed!

Divorce Coaching: Potential Benefits

Having to go through a divorce alone can be pretty daunting. Therefore, it could be worthwhile to get some divorce coaching. Meeting with a coach could help you handle the new difficulties and challenges which come with divorce…

Divorce Coaching: Ways It Can Help

Develop a plan

Many people tend to feel lost when going through their divorce. It can be difficult to know what you should be doing and what you should avoid. This can very quickly become overwhelming and make things much more difficult for you. That’s why divorce coaching can be handy.

A coach can help you come up with a general plan of action. Not just that, but they’ll also work with you to make a post-divorce plan as well. That way, not only will you have some good guidance now, but you’ll also have an idea of where to start when the divorce is over too.

Talking with your ex

Another time divorce coaching is helpful is when you struggle with talking to your ex. It can be awkward to talk now that you’re divorcing one another. However, it’s important to do so effectively, especially if you’re going to be co-parents after everything is over.

Meeting with a coach can teach you helpful ways to find some common ground with your ex. This will help make it easier for the both of you to talk with each other. Still, it could be the case that there’s a lot of tension remaining between you and your ex. A coach can also help you figure out ways to de-escalate things and keep the peace.

Keep your cool

A person’s emotions tend to run pretty high when they’re divorcing. All the stress can get the better of you and really make you feel frustrated, angry, anxious, or depressed. Divorce coaching can teach you healthy ways to manage these emotions so you can keep your cool.

It’s important to keep your emotions in check for several reasons. Aside from the health benefits, it’ll help you make sure your emotions don’t interfere with your decision making. It can also help you talk to your ex without getting worked up.

Divorced Parents

Trying to grapple with being divorced and being a parent can be pretty hard. That’s why many divorced parents tend to run into the same problems and make very similar mistakes. However, knowing what these mistakes are can help you better see how you can best avoid them…

Divorced Parents: What To Avoid Doing

Using the kids as messengers

Many divorced parents struggle with talking to one another after splitting up. Depending on what either caused the divorce or how it went, it can be tough to talk effectively. As a result, they may instead try and have their kids talk for them. Usually, this means having them be a messenger as they go between households.

By doing this, though, you’re effectively placing them right in the middle of your personal problems with each other. While you may not see your ex in a good light anymore, your kids still just see you both as their parents. Putting them in this role can make them feel bad and strain your relationship with them, which is why you want to avoid it entirely.

 Initiating constant fights

Something else divorced parents should avoid is always looking for a way to pick fights. Now, you and your ex are not going to agree on everything. This is why you’ll want to make a good co-parenting plan with some flexibility in it. Being too rigid or combative will just really hurt your kids in the long run.

For example, if your kids are doing things when they’re with their ex that maybe you wouldn’t do, don’t rush to fight them about it. Instead, take a moment and think about if it’s really a big issue. If not, then it doesn’t make sense to pick a fight about something which isn’t hurting your kids.

Thinking the kids can’t tell what’s going on

Divorced parents tend to believe that their kids can’t detect the tension between them. While you may both not like being around each other anymore, you’ll try and pretend for the sake of your kids. The thing is, your kids can definitely tell and see what’s going on.

Therefore, you need to actually try and come to a real peace and understanding with one another. Constantly being tense is just going to make your kids anxious and on-edge when you’re around each other. As long as you try your best and keep things cool, then your kids will feel a lot more relaxed.

Home Business Post-Divorce: Making Moves

Many people struggle with going back to work after their divorce. For some, they’d rather try and do things their way with a home business post-divorce. While it can be tricky, it can also open up a new, and potentially lucrative, chapter in your life…

Home Business Post-Divorce: How To Prep

Find your niche

When starting a home business post-divorce, you first need to find your niche. The appeal of a home-based business is that it lets you appeal to markets which other major brands may look over. Where they may not see a profit, you could potentially have many loyal customers who are willing to pay for what you have to offer.

However, you need to make sure it’s something which you can properly apply your skills to. You don’t want to invest all your money into something you have no prior knowledge about! Take things slowly, do your research, and find an area you think you can tap into. That way, you avoid potentially getting stuck in an over-saturated or nonexistent market.

Take your time

It’s important to not rush into creating your home business post-divorce. Trying to simply rush and get things going will more than likely set your venture up for failure. It may take some time and require you to do some traditional work in the meantime as you save funds and get things off the ground.

The two major things you want to have are a good workspace at home and enough funds to get up and running. A good home workspace will encourage you to view your work as serious, even when at the house. Additionally, having plenty of funds will ensure you can cover your costs, especially in the early months when you’re trying to get sales going.

Don’t forget to take breaks

It can be exciting and stressful to set up a home business post-divorce. Still, you have to remember to not push yourself too hard. After all, you’re still recovering from all the stress and changes that came with your divorce.

That’s why you’ll want to make sure you take time to relax. Your mental and physically health should always take priority. It’s okay if it takes longer than expected to get your business running. Starting later but much more prepared is better than rushing and only scraping by!

Quarantine Life Post-Divorce: Refocusing & Adjusting

The ongoing COVID-19 situation has caused a lot of people to make changes to their lives. When coming fresh off of a divorce, you’re facing a new and confusing time. Quarantine life post-divorce will take some getting used to. However, there are ways to make the process easier…

Quarantine Life Post-Divorce: How To Adjust

Try to re-focus

When starting your quarantine life post-divorce, there’s going to be a whole lot of things running through your head. Usually, you’d have to consider all the new changes you’d need to make, which is taxing enough. Now, you have to think about how the quarantine may impact them, making it a whole lot more confusing.

Therefore, don’t get too caught up in all these thoughts. Instead, take a moment and re-focus yourself. Sit down and write out a list of all the things that you need to change or plan for because of the divorce. This makes it a lot easier to go one-by-one and see how the situation may influence them.

Consider work options

For many people, financial concerns are at the top of their quarantine life post-divorce worries. It’s already hard to go from a dual-income household to a single-income one. Or, it could be that your former spouse brought in more of the income while you stayed at home. Grappling with these changes in the middle of the quarantine can feel impossible.

However, it’s certainly possible to find work still. While it’ll be more competitive, you just need to make sure your skills and talents set you apart from the rest. Consider your options thoroughly, especially based on your new budget, and you can find a market which you fit into.

Prioritize safety

If you’re a parent, then your kids are another area of concern for your quarantine life post-divorce. On the one hand, you and your ex probably have some kind of co-parenting plan set up. Yet, the quarantine situation could make that plan a bit harder to pull off.

In this case, you should both prioritize the kids’ safety above all else. This could mean making some changes to your co-parenting plan, such as when you change who is watching them or how you communicate. While it can be tough, it’s ultimately best to make sure they stay healthy.

Divorce Immune System

Divorce usually brings a lot of stress along with it. This stress can end up having a negative impact on your health, and your body’s ability to fight off sickness. With the COVID-19 pandemic currently going on, it’s especially important to boost your divorce immune system. Taking a few extra steps can help keep your body healthy…

Divorce Immune System: Keep Healthy

Change your lifestyle

Making some lifestyle changes is a great way to improve your divorce immune system. Doing some exercising, for instance, can help get rid of harmful bacteria from the lungs. It’s also great for promoting white blood cell and antibody production.

Eating healthier foods is also good for our body’s immune system. So can getting 7-8 hours of good sleep each night. Plus, not only will it help keep you healthy, but these steps will also help you feel a lot less stressed.

Have a healthy space

The environment you’re in is also important for your divorce immune system. It might seem odd to think that doing some redecorating can help keep you healthy. However, it’s all about reducing that stress. If you can make your home feel welcoming and inviting, it’ll mean you’ll be less stressed overall.

You may not have the money for a massive remodeling effort, but that’s okay! Even making some minor layout or color changes can go a long way. Having a nice, organized home can help you feel calm and centered, rather than anxious or worried. This means your body gets to focus more on making sure you stay healthy.

Take extra precautions

With everything that’s going on related to COVID-19, it’s now more important than ever to take extra precautions. Constantly exposing yourself to potential infection is not something you’ll want to do, even if you have a strong divorce immune system. Therefore, be sure you do all you can to keep yourself protected.

In general, it’s best to limit how much you need to go out. When you do need to head outside, try to wear a face mask and practice good social distancing as best as you can. Make sure you frequently wash your hands or use hand sanitizer, both while you’re out and once you get back home.

Post-Divorce Job Interview

A divorce might mean you need to get back into the job-hunting game. However, what if you’ve landed an interview? Prepping for a post-divorce job interview can be a bit stressful. Still, there are some key things that you’ll want to focus on…

Post-Divorce Job Interview: Get Prepped

Do some research

It’s a good idea to do some research on the company before your post-divorce job interview. Now, you don’t need to dig into every single detail. But, it’s a good idea to have some basic info about the company’s background, clients, and services. Many companies will have this all accessible on their websites or social media.

Take another look at the job description for the role you applied to as well. There may be some things which you aren’t too familiar with compared to the rest. Doing some research on these skills or tasks can help you get familiar with them and see how your previous experiences can tie into them.

 Practice, practice, practice

You’ll want to practice as you can for your post-divorce job interview. Going into the interview blind can make you feel anxious and not leave a good impression. By comparison, doing some practice can help calm your nerves and get you prepared for the interviewer’s questions.

Some common questions tend to be about how much you know about the company, why you want to work there, your work style, strengths and weaknesses, and future career goals. Therefore, it helps to plan out general responses for these types of questions. When you know they’re coming, you can format answers and fit them into whatever the interviewer is asking.

Keep it natural

Remember that in a post-divorce job interview, it’s not just about the questions. The interviewer is also looking at how you respond. If you seem very nervous, anxious, and overall uncertain, then it may not matter how good your answers are.

That’s why you should try and treat your interview like a normal conversation. Take a moment to process the questions, and answer calm and thoughtfully. Keep your cool and stay focused, even if the interviewer tries to challenge you a bit. Remember: if you can keep composed here, then you’re showing them you can do the same on the job.

Post-Divorce Debt: Management Methods

Divorce can sometimes be costly, and as such it helps to prepare a bit financially. Still, even with a good plan, you might find yourself with some post-divorce debt. This debt is definitely something you’ll want to get under control. There’s a few things you can do to help get it down to a manageable level…

Post-Divorce Debt: Financial Impact of Divorce

Re-evaluate your budget

Your post-divorce debt is probably going to require you to take a new look at your budget. As you go away from a double-income household to a single-income one, your past budget may not work as well as it used to. Plus, you’ll probably have some additional expenses to manage. Among these will be your debt.

Therefore, take the time and plan out a potential new budget. Consider your necessary expenses, and how much income you make. This can help you see if you can cut spending in one area to help with debt payments, or if you may need to consider looking for a better-paying job.

Set up payment plans

Another helpful way to handle post-divorce debt is by having payment plans. Not paying your debt at all can quickly add up as extra interest is accumulated. Now, some places may give forgiveness for one or two months missed. Still, if it becomes a habit, then your debt will continue to mount and things like your credit will suffer.

Instead, you can see about setting up a payment plan. Usually, these will let you set up automatic payments for debt payments every month. You may also be able to set up adjusted payments. This can see you making smaller, more manageable monthly payments, but making more of them over a longer period of time.

Consider all your strategies

Of course, the best thing to do with post-divorce debt is to pay it off. However, it’s entirely possible that you just don’t have the extra money to do so. Rather than just let those bills pile up, you should take the time to consider all of your potential options.

For example, if you have good credit, you may want to think about debt consolidation. This puts all your debt together and can lower your interest rate. You might also want to consider debt management, settlement, and in extreme cases, bankruptcy. Just note that these can have a negative impact on your credit in exchange for helping you control or remove your debt.

Working During Quarantine

Many people tend to find themselves struggling a bit financially after divorce. Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic, they may either be out of work, or worrying about going into shifts. Working during quarantine requires a bit of adjustment compared to normal working. Still, it’s possible to improve your chances at finding something which suites your needs…

 Working During Quarantine: Stay Afloat Post-Divorce

Consider your options

When considering working during quarantine, it helps to first consider what options are available to you. For instance, many places are looking for essential workers to keep their staff full and rotated during the pandemic. Usually, these jobs will have you out in public around others. However, many of these jobs also offer full protective equipment and sanitation supplies to employees.

At the same time, you can also see if you qualify for financial assistance. Aside from the relief checks which have been sent out, there’s also unemployment benefits. These can be handy especially if you have just lost your job due to the crisis. That way, you have some form of income coming in while you continue to job hunt.

Highlight your skills

Something else which can help when working during quarantine is drawing attention to your key skills and experience. Many places are going to want to make sure they hire people who truly bring something new to their teams. That means the application process can be a bit more competitive than it usually is.

Therefore, you want to make sure you stand out among the rest. Draw attention to any relevant skills or experience you have. It helps to also tailor your resume to each job you apply for, so you can put your best foot forwards. Remember, places which are hiring will have a lot of applicants, so you need to give yourself every advantage you can!

Be careful about applying

While there’s plenty of places which are helping those working during quarantine, there are also some which aren’t what they appear to be. Unfortunately, some people are trying to take advantage of the situation by scamming people. They may do this by setting up fake job board sites or posts, in an effort to skim people’s personal info.

To avoid being scammed yourself, make sure you’re careful about where you look for work. Try to stick to using legit, established boards versus seemingly shady ones. Also, do some background searching on the company you’re applying to. The reviews and other search results can help you determine if they’re legit or not.

Post-Divorce Home: What To Do?

When your divorce is over, you might find yourself in possession of the marital home. However, the post-divorce home can feel a little different then how it used to. Therefore, you might want to consider some the different things you can do with it…

Post-Divorce Home: Potential Options

Do some renovations

If you’re interested in keeping the post-divorce home, then you’ll probably want to change things up. After all, keeping it the same can bring back some bad memories from your marriage. By adding your own style and flair, you can make the place feel more like it’s truly “yours.”

This can be a great time to do some renovations you’ve had in mind for a while. Now, you won’t have to worry about your old partner not liking what you suggest. You can make any of the changes you’d like. Still, if you’re looking to save a bit of money, doing some simple redecorating can create a similar effect.

Rent it out

Another option for your post-divorce home is to rent it out. This can be an appealing option if you have somewhere else to live, and want to potentially make some extra money. Of course, this does come with its own set of responsibilities. Being a landlord means you’ll have to worry about a few more things than if you were just living there.

For instance, you’ll have to make sure your insurance covers renting, and that you have any necessary permits. You’ll also be in charge of making any repairs and upgrades to the house. Not to mention you have to make sure you find a reliable tenant and charge a fair rate!

Sell it

There is always the option of selling your post-divorce home. If you want to move someplace new, then selling your home will help you with covering the costs. That being said, you want to make sure you do things the right way and get the most money you can.

This may mean doing some renovations and upgrades, as these can help boost your home’s value. Be sure you also consult a good real estate agent as well. They’ll not only help with advertising the home and showing it to potential buyers, but they can also make sure your house is up-to-code so you don’t run into any delays.