Fort Worth Family Law Blog

Texas parents who are divorced and who live a long distance from their children might wonder how they can keep their bonds strong. While they may have less time with their children, they can focus on ensuring that the time they do have is quality. This means their time together should be mostly one-on-one time. This is not the time to introduce the child to people the parent is casually dating. Only once a relationship is serious should these introductions happen, and even then, parents should prioritize their visiting children.

Parents may have regular phone time scheduled with their children, but they can call outside those times as well. They can also use postcards or email, text and social media to send messages to their children. These messages should be positive or ask questions about specific things in the child's life, such as how they did on a test at school.

Parents who are going through divorce often worry about the effects the change will have on their children. Each child may have a unique reaction to the news, but there are also some trends within various age groups.

Babies, toddlers and preschoolers may show regressive behaviors, and grade-school children may lash out against the world. However, it can be difficult for parents to determine when a teenager’s behavior is a reaction to their parents' divorce and when it is typical teen moodiness.

People going through divorce in Texas may struggle with difficult times. The emotional, practical and financial consequences of the end of a marriage can lead to depression, uncertainty and isolation. Even though divorce is almost always a challenge, there are a number of steps that people can take in order to help themselves move forward and get through a difficult time. The period after divorce offers a chance for a fresh start, and that new beginning can be hopeful and positive for many people.

The financial aspects of a divorce can be some of the most significant. After all, property division can have a major impact on people's bank accounts, investment funds and retirement plans. People may be tempted to be more reckless financially after ending a challenging marriage. However, the immediate post-divorce period can be a bad time to make financial decisions. It can be a good time, however, to seek out a financial adviser to help people revise their plans and create a new financial vision for a single future.

When Texas couples consider ending their marriage, they often wind up struggling over issues related to money. Whether they're dealing with retirement funds, the family home or ongoing support, issues over asset division can be some of the most significant in any divorce. After all, the financial effects of a divorce can linger on long after the personal and emotional issues have been resolved years before. Because of the importance of these issues, many people think that finances are a major cause of marital unhappiness and stress. While this may be the case for some people, one study found that other issues were more indicative of future problems,.

Researchers at two universities aimed to look at reasons for marital dissatisfaction and divorce. They noticed that most studies had primarily involved middle-class couples and wanted to look at the potential effects of socioeconomic status on marital satisfaction. Therefore, they identified 431 couples living in a lower-income area to study over several years. Participants received an eight-question survey in 2009 as newlyweds and answered the questions each year until 2014. The researchers found that lower-income couples' happiness was not primarily affected by their income. Instead, the major issue seemed to be how happy they were when first married.