"About half of marriages end in divorce, and children of divorced parents experience higher rates of psychological problems. Children's healthy development depends on having continued access to both parents, and Divorce and Co-parenting: A Support Guide for the Modern Family details how parents can work together during and after a divorce for the sake of their children. The authors, a psychiatrist and an attorney, provide a wealth of information for parents, including how to tell children about the divorce; what to expect from the legal processes of mediation, arbitration, and custody; and how to help children deal with their responses to the divorce. Consideration is given to difficulties encountered by both parents and children, with extensive coverage of parenting time, disciplinary issues, establishing a support system or stepfamily, and danger signals that indicate professional help is warranted. A helpful question and answer section and resources are provided, and the book makes liberal use of case examples to help guide the entire family through a difficult transitional time"--

How to raise happy, healthy children in two-home families.

A valuable parenting guide for divorced or separated couples with kids, this handbook offers tools for navigating conflicts and setting boundaries so both children and co-parents can thrive Parents need help to confidently take on the challenges of guiding children through divorce or separation and raising them skillfully in 2 homes. The authors, both trusted divorce and co-parenting coaches, provide the road map for all family members to safely navigate the difficult emotional terrain through separation/divorce and beyond. The authors offer reassuring well-tested guidance, including advice on: • The emotional impact of separation for both parents and kids • Conflict and mediation • Settling into a 2-home family • Respectful communication and decision making • Managing finances • Co-parenting at holidays and events • Introducing new adults into children’s lives With strategies to help resolve day-to-day issues, create boundaries, and establish guidelines for a wide range of families and experiences, this accessible manual is a must have for co-parents.

Over the past thirty years, there has been a dramatic shift in the way the legal system approaches and resolves family disputes. Traditionally, family law dispute resolution was based on an “adversary” system: two parties and their advocates stood before a judge who determined which party was at fault in a divorce and who would be awarded the rights in a custody dispute. Now, many family courts are opting for a “problem-solving” model in which courts attempt to resolve both legal and non-legal issues. At the same time, American families have changed dramatically. Divorce rates have leveled off and begun to drop, while the number of children born and raised outside of marriage has increased sharply. Fathers are more likely to seek an active role in their children’s lives. While this enhanced paternal involvement benefits children, it also increases the likelihood of disputes between parents. As a result, the families who seek legal dispute resolution have become more diverse and their legal situations more complex. In Divorced from Reality, Jane C. Murphy and Jana B. Singer argue that the current "problem solving" model fails to address the realities of today's families. The authors suggest that while today’s dispute resolution regime may represent an improvement over its more adversary predecessor, it is built largely around the model of a divorcing nuclear family with lawyers representing all parties—a model that fits poorly with the realities of today's disputing families. To serve the families it is meant to help, the legal system must adapt and reshape itself.

Understanding Stepfamilies takes a large step toward achieving integration of the many variables presented in understanding the stepfamily system. The book examines the dynamics and resources within these complex family systems. It helps clinicians and researchers understand the underlying structural patterns and dynamics of stepfamilies, promoting more successful, positive treatment outcomes. Chapters in Understanding Stepfamilies offer clinicians and researchers an international perspective, including contributions from the U.S., Canada, Israel, and The Netherlands. Readers learn of unique theoretical approaches to understanding stepfamily typologies and behaviors and specific clinical models for assessment and intervention, as well as more empirically-based findings regarding parent-child interactions.

The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Family Studies presents a comprehensive, interdisciplinary collection of the key concepts, trends, and processes relating to the study of families and family patterns throughout the world. Offers more than 550 entries arranged A-Z Includes contributions from hundreds of family scholars in various academic disciplines from around the world Covers issues ranging from changing birth rates, fertility, and an aging world population to human trafficking, homelessness, famine, and genocide Features entries that approach families, households, and kin networks from a macro-level and micro-level perspective Covers basic demographic concepts and long-term trends across various nations, the impact of globalization on families, global family problems, and many more Features in-depth examinations of families in numerous nations in several world regions 4 Volumes www.familystudiesencyclopedia.com

This Handbook presents up-to-date scholarship on the causes and predictors, processes, and consequences of divorce and relationship dissolution. Featuring contributions from multiple disciplines, this Handbook reviews relationship termination, including variations depending on legal status, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation. The Handbook focuses on the often-neglected processes involved as the relationship unfolds, such as infidelity, hurt, and remarriage. It also covers the legal and policy aspects, the demographics, and the historical aspects of divorce. Intended for researchers, practitioners, counselors, clinicians, and advanced students in psychology, sociology, family studies, communication, and nursing, the book serves as a text in courses on divorce, marriage and the family, and close relationships.

Updated and revised with seven new chapters, a new introduction, and a new resources section, this landmark book is invaluable for women facing a custody battle. It was the first to break the myth that mothers receive preferential treatment over fathers in custody disputes. Although mothers generally retain custody when fathers choose not to fight for it, fathers who seek custody often win—not because the mother is unfit or the father has been the primary caregiver but because, as Phyllis Chesler argues, women are held to a much higher standard of parenting. Incorporating findings from years of research, hundreds of interviews, and international surveys about child-custody arrangements, Chesler argues for new guidelines to resolve custody disputes and to prevent the continued oppression of mothers in custody situations. This book provides a philosophical and psychological perspective as well as practical advice from one of the country’s leading matrimonial lawyers. Both an indictment of a discriminatory system and a call to action over motherhood under siege, Mothers on Trial is essential reading for anyone concerned either personally or professionally with custody rights and the well-being of the children involved.

Family mediation has quickly become a significant means of legal dispute resolution, recognized in most North American jurisdictions as a relief to already overburdened judicial systems. Using an innovative practical approach, the authors of Family Mediation incorporate the pivotal principals of family therapy into this new context - the judicial realm of family mediation. The practice model - therapeutic family mediation - thoroughly treats history specific issues, and practice in an ecosystemic approach and responds to the feminist critique of mediation.

Family and Divorce Mediation" is a comprehensive guide that equips readers with essential insights and practical tools to navigate the complex world of family disputes and divorce proceedings. In the first section, readers will gain a thorough understanding of the mediation process, its principles, and benefits. They will learn how mediation differs from traditional adversarial approaches, such as litigation, and why it is often a more effective and amicable method for resolving family conflicts. The book delves into the roles of mediators, attorneys, and parties involved, illustrating the importance of open communication, active listening, and cooperation to achieve mutually satisfactory outcomes. In the second section, "Family and Divorce Mediation" offers step-by-step guidance on various aspects of mediation, including custody and visitation arrangements, property division, financial matters, and support agreements. Readers will learn strategies to foster constructive dialogue, manage emotions, and find creative solutions tailored to the unique needs of each family. The book also addresses challenges that may arise during the mediation process and provides tips to overcome impasses and sustain positive communication. With its insightful case studies and practical exercises, this book serves as an indispensable resource for anyone involved in family mediation or considering this path to achieve fair and harmonious resolutions during the often tumultuous experience of divorce.