IStock_000007308947XSmall_opt(2) Our current president, Barack Obama, is the second president (after Gerald Ford) to have experienced the divorce of his parents. It is possible, as this Huffington Post article points out, that Obama learned from this experience how to navigate difficult situations with grace:

Indeed, most divorces require negotiation, compromise and agreeing to disagree. You learn the importance of being reserved and reflective vs. being rash. And why perhaps he likes being No Drama Obama.

During the times that Obama was growing up, divorce – and bi-racial children – were not the norm. Yet Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham, handled these “problems” with grace and dignity. She was a positive person who taught her children how to navigate difficult waters without becoming overwhelmed. Instead of focusing on past wrongs or current difficulties, Obama’s mother chose to focus on a brighter future.

The qualities that Obama learned from his mother are reflected in how he has run his life and – most recently – how quickly he was able to overcome differences with Hillary Clinton to select her as Secretary for the Department of State.

A great leader is someone who can think long term and put petty personal issues aside. These are the same qualities that parents going through a divorce can teach their children.

Conclusion: Divorce is incredibly difficult and painful for everyone involved. However, if handled properly, divorce can teach children the necessary skills for a successful future.

Via: Fathers’ Rights

Funny things people do…

by Marie Fahnert

A fellow divorce lawyer over at the UK has funny story about the silly things people do to get back at each other…

Quote: Starting today

by Marie Fahnert

Future_opt Nobody can go back and start a new beginning but anyone can start today and make a new ending.

— Maria Robinson

Via: twenty-three

Helpful or stressful?

by Marie Fahnert

I just came across this video of a therapy game for children of divorce. I’m not sure what to think. I got really stressed out just by watching the video. It is certainly good to acquaint divorce lawyers with confusion and pain that some children of divorce feel. However, is this appropriate for children? Wouldn’t it make a child going through a difficult custody battle feel even worse?

The winning divorce

by Marie Fahnert

In law school we learned how to “frame” the facts to make a winning argument. This basically requires viewing things from a different point of view. The framing of facts, however, is not limited to the practice of law. In fact, how you frame (or view) “success” and  ”failure” is an essential element in achieving happiness and success in life.

The New York Times has an article on about a man whose son, Sam, was so uncoordinated that in elementary school he fell out of his chair if he tried to get something from his backpack. Sam grew up to play varsity football in high school — And lost every single game.

Still, Sam didn’t feel bad at all. He played his best and that is all that mattered.

Psychologists who study the effects of optimism and pessimism will often try to help depressed patients “reframe things” to see loss more positively. That might mean encouraging them to take pride in getting through an awful experience, or saying ‘you didn’t fail, you found something that didn’t work.’”

Conclusion: Divorce is not failure. Through your marriage you learned about love, loss and negotiation. In the end, it didn’t work out. You still have these skills. They’ll be useful later on.