We’ve all been there, a friend or loved one is going through something really difficult and you just don’t know what to say or how to begin to make them feel better.

And we’ve definitely all been there, when you have a well-meaning friend or loved one and everything they try and say about your marriage ending just falls so flat or worse - actually offends you.  Or even super worse, people just avoid you all together because they don’t know what to say and feel like avoidance or saying nothing is actually better.

So, this got me thinking about when my marriage had newly ended, and how many people just never discussed it or ask how I was doing for what seemed like FOREVER.  Or if they did ask and I actually gave them a brief but honest answer, they simply weren’t prepared to just hold the space for me – they had no idea how to respond and just ended up standing their awkward until the topic of conversation was changed.  It never...

If all else fails and your marriage has to end, then let’s at least make the most of a bad situation and ensure a healthy gender balance going forward.  Might as well start as you want to go on!

I mean, who really wants to look after their kids solo - 24/7 - until they are off to college/university?  Not me.  I mean not if I have any choice in the matter.  I kiss the feet of single moms and dads out there, which is an incredibly hard gig.

No martyrs necessary.

Who cares if you think you can make a better meal than your ex.  Or can play a better game of baseball with them.  True fact: the kids certainly don’t care.

What they do care about is both of their parents being in their lives.  In a meaningful way.

Even on the odd time, when my ex and I don’t alternate weekends, we do two or three weekends with the kids in a row, because the other is travelling.  During these times, one or more of the kids always mentions that they...

I really enjoyed this article on societal and familial expectations surrounding marriage and divorce, I hope you do too!

What Elizabeth Gilbert's Divorce Can Teach Us About Relationships

What expectations did you find you had to to wrestle with as your marriage ended?  I know I felt like I'd disappointed a lot of my extended family, and that was just for starters.  More on this in an upcoming post!

Have a good week,

Lisa