Thrive After Divorce Blog

Making Blended Families Work

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:09:44 GMT

Practical tips for stepmoms in blended families.

Divorce Checklist

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:35:30 GMT

Make sure you look over this divorce checklist before filing your final divorce papers.

Absent Father: The Case of the MIA Dad

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:31:36 GMT

What to do and what to tell your kids when they have an absent father.

Your Child and Stress

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:09:54 GMT

Learn how to handle the issues of your child and stress after a divorce.

Damned Even If You Do

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:51:17 GMT

Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't. - Eleanor Roosevelt What a wise lady! I can't help but think this is an excellent quote for single moms. The job of parent is a constant game of stabbing in the dark. There are so many decisions to make for each child, and what works for one may not work for the others. Even better- a lot of single moms have to make all the parenting calls themselves. With no one else to weigh the options with, single moms tend to doubt their decisions more often than not. A sage friend has repeatedly told me that all you can do is make the best decision using the information that you have at the time. You may look back later with your current knowledge regret the decision you made, but you did the best you could at the time. You have within you the capability to make the best possible decisions for you and your family. Listen to your gut- it'll tell you. Someone will always try to criticize; just do what's right for you.

Exercise Reduces Stress

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:55:18 GMT

Exercise reduces stress - tips for single moms to work exercise into their busy day.

Courage in the Face of Single-ness

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 17:06:11 GMT

"Courage is the price that life exacts for peace. The soul that knows it not knows no release from little things." -Amelia Earhart For me this is one of those life-defining quotes. When I was freshly separated from my soon-to-be ex, I bought a bracelet that spoke to me. It had a charm on in that read "courage". I thought that of all the attributes I could develop, courage would be the most important in taking on my new role as a single mom. I still do. What was Amelia talking about, though? I think she meant that if you don't just go for it- whatever "it" is, you'll always wonder "what if". If you choose to hide away and simply let life happen to you, it actually causes more stress to the soul. Take charge of your life today. I know it's hard and sometimes scary being a single mom. You can do it. Use your courage to pull you through. It might be hard to find, but it's in there somewhere. Take charge, girl!

Stress Management for Women in a Busy World

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 22:08:42 GMT

Single moms- get tips on stress management for women juggling work, kids, home and dating.

Handling Teens and Divorce

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:47:04 GMT

Teens and divorce can be a volatile combination. Help for divorced parents with teens.

Legal Divorce Issues

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:17:02 GMT

Ideas on how to solve legal divorce issues and where to find help.

The Call That Never Came

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 02:48:04 GMT

I met a guy at a club, and he seemed pretty cute so I gave him my number. He texted me later that night to make sure he got the right number. Then he texted

My First Online Dating Experience

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:59:31 GMT

I started online dating just as soon as my divorce was final, but had no idea what I was doing. The first guy I started communicating with seemed so nice!

Girl Scout Cookie Season

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 03:02:33 GMT

So, I'm sitting outside at the park today with my Brownie Girl Scout peddling cookies, freezing my keyster off. As parts of my body freeze and begin to shut down, I slowly come to the realization that this cookie business isn't what it's cracked up to be. My girls always have ambitious notions of how many cookies they'll sell so they can earn their way to summer camp. I thought this was a great plan...til I realized (just now) it takes more work on my part than anything else! Don't get me wrong, I love Girl Scout cookies just as much as the next person, and I love the idea of teaching my kids the value of work. I just think they'd learn more DOING the work rather than watching ME do it! Not to mention, I should figure out a teaching experience that doesn't involve me sitting out in the whipping March wind. I think I'd rather eat 20 pickled cock roaches before doing that again...

All Squeezed Out

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:06:02 GMT

Sometimes, as a single mom I feel like a tube of toothpaste that's been squeezed until nothing more comes out. By the end of the day, I'm spent. Take the other day, for instance. I had come down with a cold, but had no time to slow down. I worked through the day at half mast, picked up my kids from school, ran a TON of laundry, cooked dinner and was still cleaning the house at 10:30pm. I just felt like I couldn't stop. Finally, I made myself lay down on the bed and read a book...for fun! I realized that sometimes my drive is insane- relentless, even. However, it does make my downtime that much more rewarding.

Positive Effects of Single Parents

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:23:49 GMT

Yes, there are positive effects of single parents! Learn how to be a success at single parenting.

The day my daughter showed up with a note pinned to her shirt!

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:09:36 GMT

I was a single mother (at the time of this story), running my own hair salon. My daughters' dad lived in another state, and I had to find care for my

7 Tips for Sex After Divorce

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:28:10 GMT

Learn the keys to feeling sexy and flirty again in this sex after divorce guide.

When Should Dating Single Parents Introduce the Kids?

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:10:22 GMT

What all dating single parents should know about introducing kids to their dates.

A Mother's Day to Remember...

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:37:40 GMT

Usually this holiday is a quiet one, but I'm certain this particular one earned me a nomination for Mother of the Year! On the Mother's Day in question,

Successful Coparenting

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:09:03 GMT

Learn the keys for successful coparenting.

To All the Lonely Girls

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:02:45 GMT

Valentine's Day is one of those days when you are blatantly reminded that you are very much single. I'd like to propose a toast to all the lonely girls out there: Here's to all the single moms out there who have the courage to choose to be alone rather than in a relationship that's all wrong. Here's to spending time with your pint-sized Valentines, cultivating a love to last a lifetime. Toast to a thriving life after divorce!

Laid Off? Get Creative!

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:13:44 GMT

If you are one of the many to be laid off, fired, cut back or down-sized, explore your options here.

Claiming Kids on Your Tax Return

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:00:15 GMT

It's that time of year again; time to file your taxes. Now is the time that I get a lot of questions about claiming kids on tax returns. Plenty of parents fight over this issue, and threaten to file first, with all the kids on their return. It's always smart to consult a tax expert to file your return. Keep in mind, there is one key determining factor for whether or not you can claim your kids, and that's the all-mighty divorce decree. You must follow what is stated in your decree regarding tax filings- end of story. If your ex wants to be a pain and take a tax break that isn't theirs, let them try. Keep a certified copy of your decree at the ready, and file your return the way you're supposed to. That way, if your return gets kicked back, you have the documentation to prove you're in the right.

Joint Child Custody

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:46:04 GMT

Know the different versions of sole and joint child custody and what that means to you before you get divorced.

Working Moms

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:41:18 GMT

A practical guide for single working moms seeking work life balance.

Single Working Mom

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 05:34:06 GMT

Solutions for the single working mom: how to get you and your kids out the door in the morning without losing your sanity, and more.

Random Thoughts of Gratitude

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:42:38 GMT

Whenever you get to feeling down, try what I do: start a gratitude journal. It's hard to feel sorry for yourself when you're busy thinking about and writing down all the many things you're thankful for. Even a single mom has plenty to be grateful for. Can't think of anything? Compare your life to someone in Haiti right now. There are plenty of things to be thankful for, if you just look around. I like to start my day by glancing over some of the things on my list. It starts my day on a positive note. I figure, the more positive my thoughts, the more good things will come to me.

Coping With Divorce

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:02:47 GMT

Coping with divorce is like a four letter word to me. It's a survival mechanism, and yes you can push past it. Somewhere in the depths of your soul is the strength you need to lift your head up, and convince yourself you will find the silver lining in your life. You didn't come here to simply cope with divorce, not you. You came here to thrive. What do you think of when you hear coping with divorce? Sounds like a victim statement, doesn't it? Coping with divorce is what you do when you're merely a passenger in the car that is your life. Honey, it's time to take the wheel and steer. I don't care if your survival plan is to put your life in jesus' hands, or maybe you really didn't have a plan at all when you got divorced. No matter what, it's going to take action on your part to realize your dreams. Don't go thinking that just because you're a single mom you can't dream. I know you've probably heard it before, but you really can do and have whatever you put your mind to. If you want to pray about it, fine; god expects you to work, too. Nobody ever got anything they wanted sitting at home, wishing and thinking about it.