Show 56: Children & Divorce

DIVORCE IS A REALITY for many families and couples will decide to split for a number of reasons. But, no matter the cause, breaking up is hard to do - especially when there are children involved. In this episode we ask: How can parents minimize their child's suffering when mom and dad are also in pain? Is it possible to successfully co-parent once a divorce is final? What are kids really going through when their parents end the marriage? And, how to share those holiday celebrations between multiple homes? 

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining host Shana Sheehy in the studio to discuss helping kids through divorce are two guests: Christina McGhee is an an internationally-acclaimed divorce coach, parent educator and author of Parenting Apart: How Separated and Divorced Parents Can Raise Happy and Secure Kids. She joins us by phone from Texas. 

Al Levy is a therapist in private practice in Anchorage at Generations - A Family Place. He focuses on children, families, parenting and relationships. He does court-ordered family therapy, co-parenting counseling, expert witness testimony and custody investigations as a part of his practice.

RESOURCES FROM THIS PROGRAM:

- Alaska Legal Services

- AlaskaLawHelp.org

- Alaska Family Law Self-help Center 

- Alaska Native Justice Center

- DivorceandChildren.com and ParentingApartBook.com

- Alaska Family Law Handbook

- Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA)

- Kids These Days! Show 24: Family Law 101

FEATURED STORIES: 

- Adults Remember Parents' Divorce - We sought out adults whose parents split when they were kids to find out what they say now about how the experience affected them. We spoke with four people ranging in age from 30 to mid-50s who recalled a range of emotions. [Listen here.]

- Divorce/Custody Law 101 -  Aside from all the emotional issues involved with a divorce, there are the technical and legal issues like custody, child support and visitation. Earlier this year, we spoke with Anchorage family law attorney Steven Pradell (Show 24: Family Law 101) about common legal issues for families; he’s the author of the Alaska Family Law Handbook. We excerpted part of that conversation for this show.

- Domestic Violence & Divorce - Co-parenting successfully with anyone after a separation or divorce can be challenging - after all, there’s a reason the parents got divorced in the first place. But in cases where there has been violence in a relationship, it can be more than tough – it can be dangerous.