The start of the school summer term and for many teenagers it will be their last. Once it’s over and their exams are out of the way, they’ll be off to university or on a gap year abroad. Exciting prospects for them – but a gloomy one for parents who dread their “babies” flying the nest.   more »

If your marriage is teetering on the brink, have a flick through your family photo album. Scientists reckon it is possible to predict whose marriages will fail by looking at snapshots taken decades earlier. Those with the brightest smiles, they say, are more than three times more likely to forge a strong relationship than those who frown their way through family outings as a child or teenager.   more »

Cold calling is irritating at the best of times; if you’re feeling emotionally fragile, it can be very upsetting.   more »

The knock-on effects of the recession are myriad and the divorce process is no exception. Already we have heard how some couples are opting to stay together to preserve their dwindling assets, while others are being forced to live in the marital home after dissolving their marriages because they can’t sell the property.   more »

As someone who has no desire to get involved in social networking internet sites, I am somewhat baffled by their allure. Nevertheless, I am prepared to accept they are fun, sometimes useful and mostly harmless.   more »

On the face of it, a “divorce fair” might seem an incongruous idea. Fairs, after all, are usually jolly, carefree events. Yet the UK’s first such fair – officially called the Starting Over Show – held in Brighton last weekend focused on the positive side of relationship break ups and life crises. Practical help, including legal advice, childcare-friendly business ideas, therapies such as reflexology and health and makeover tips were all on offer at the event.   more »

A few months after an Italian study found that the strain of having an affair can cause a potentially fatal aneurysm, there is evidence that an unhappy marriage can also take a toll on people’s health.   more »

Researchers claim to have come up with the vital ingredients for a long-lasting marriage. The recipe, apparently, is four kisses, three cuddles and a romantic night in!   more »

An Australian lawmaker said this week that staying married is better for the planet because divorce leads the newly single to live more wasteful lifestyles.   more »

How children cope with their parents’ divorce is, to a great extent, down to how the adults handle the situation. Resolution – formerly the Solicitors Family Law Association – has launched an initiative called Parenting after Parting to provide advice and support for separating and divorcing couples. As well as organising workshops around the country....   more »

I have been an active member of Resolution – formerly the Solicitors Family Law Association – for more than 20 years and during this past year the organisation has been celebrating its 25th anniversary by turning the spotlight on to children.   more »

Valentine’s Day has to be one of the most depressing dates on the calendar. Not only is it potentially upsetting for people who are single, it’s a cause of stress for those who aren’t!   more »

Well, here we are at the end of January - a traditionally depressing time for many people. Christmas is a distant memory, the weather is miserable, spring still seems a long way off and, this year, the economic meltdown is taking its toll.   more »

I realise the title of this week’s blog entry looks a little strange – contradictory in fact – but there is method in my madness! Last week’s posting was about how the credit crunch is forcing an increasing number of divorced couples to continue living together because they are unable to sell the marital home and so divide their assets. I gave some tips on how to survive living under the same roof as your ex.   more »

The past week has been a hectic one at our firm: the combination of a stressful Christmas and financial problems has led to a flood of calls from couples seeking to end their marriages.   more »

Still feeling hung over from 2008? If so, you’re not alone. The Christmas and New Year period is traditionally a time for over-indulgence, not least on the alcohol front.   more »

With just days to go until Christmas, stress levels will be starting to rise. Presents yet to be bought, family get-together arrangements still to be finalised and meal plans only at the drawing board stage. The logistical nightmare that overshadows many people's Yuletide can take away much of the pleasure of this supposedly peaceful and happy time.   more »

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a special present you could give your children or grandchildren this Christmas – a gift that would provide fun and laughter all year long and didn’t cost money?   more »

Gordon Ramsay may be able to serve up a gourmet feast on Christmas Day, but whether his Yuletide will be full of joy and peace is rather more debatable. The TV chef has been embroiled in allegations of a seven-year affair and one can only imagine the effect on his wife and four children.   more »

Whether this year is your first or your umpteenth Christmas as a divorced or separated parent, you may be viewing it with trepidation.   more »

Christmas might still be a month away, but if you’re divorced with dependent children it’s not too soon to start making detailed plans for how you will spend the Festive Season.   more »

A new relationship can provide a welcome tonic after the upheaval and unhappiness of divorce or separation. A romantic foray, however fleeting, may help to restore self-esteem, open up social opportunities and help you look more positively to the future.   more »

The Clap (gonorrhoea), the Pox (so-called great pox or syphilis), non-specific urethritis (NSU), venereal diseases, (VD) & VD clinics are all historic terms for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which have been replaced with more current ones – Chlamydia, genito-urinary medicine (GUM), sexual health clinics (SHCs) and GUM clinics. Even STDs have, in the last decade, been superseded by the term sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Why all these changes? Is it purely to confuse Jo/e Public and blind him and her with scientific jargon? Do they have any relevance to divorce matters? The answer is complex, but based upon a number of issues.   more »

When a client comes to see me about divorcing their partner because they’ve discovered he or she has been unfaithful, their pain is often red raw. They will usually dwell on the emotional and physical betrayal, and understandably so.   more »

For men.... Unexpectedly bumping into your ex-wife years after you last saw her can be an unsettling experience, particularly if either of you still harbours feelings of animosity or regret.   more »

For women... When your marriage ends, it may be your most fervent wish never to clap eyes on your ex again. However, if you have children, there are bound to be occasions - school events, graduation ceremonies, weddings and so on - when the two of you will be in the same room together. Difficult though such events can be, at least you have the luxury of preparingmentally for the meeting well in advance.   more »

There are no “adultery packages” on which to print the kinds of warnings you find on cigarette packets – but there’s reported evidence this week that playing around can seriously affect your health.   more »

A study by the Oxford Centre for Family Law and Policy (OCFLP) has found that the perception that fathers are treated unfairly by the divorce courts is wrong. The family justice system is not biased against non-residential parents, it concludes.   more »

Sir John Major's former daughter-in-law, Emma Noble, claims the former prime minister and his wife have little involvement in the life of her autistic son, Harry.   more »

The price comparison website Moneysupermarket.com has announced plans to add legal business to its online portfolio, which in these internet-driven, credit crunch days seems like a jolly good idea. Shopping around online for the best deal on products and services is obviously the way to go in the 21st century.   more »