For divorced parents, sharing parental responsibilities during the summer months is often tricky, despite the relaxed, school-free schedule. Summer is a prime time for vacations, transitions, and being with family. However, the short time period for summer vacation often makes it harder for parents and children to get into a regular routine. Just as soon as you seem to get a good rhythm going, school is back in session, and a new routine must begin. Although they are necessary, changes in routine can often be difficult for kids and parents alike. These tips can help you lessen the anxiety for yourself and your children during the summer:

Avoid Doing Too Much

Many couples choose to go to counseling when their marriage is in trouble. Often, counseling/therapy is a last-ditch effort to save the marriage before considering divorce. What many couples do not know is that most counselors/therapists will never persuade couples one way or another when it comes to the ultimate decision about divorce. Whether the marriage survives or not is ultimately in the hands of the couple itself. The only job of the counselor is to help both parties become more in tune with the needs of the other and build communication skills. 

What if the Couple Is Miserable?

Your marriage is coming to an end. You are about to begin a new chapter of your life, and you would prefer to start it without a mountain of divorce costs. Although the thought of a do-it-yourself divorce has crossed your mind, you know that doing so may complicate matters, drag out the process and often can result in additional, future litigation. Furthermore, if your partner has an attorney, and you decide to represent yourself, the judge may never hear “your side of the story,” and you may lose everything. If you know that having legal divorce help is your best option, but you are wary of the cost, try these budget-friendly divorce tips:

File for an Uncontested Divorce

Every couple that gets involved in a divorce case has varied expectations as to what the process is going to be like. Some people have prior insights obtained from friends and relatives, while others have no insights at all. The truth is, however, that every divorce is unique, and there is no foolproof method to predict how a break-up will happen. The only factor common to every divorce is the outcome: one married life becomes two separate lives. 

Going through a divorce is almost always difficult. Those who successfully dissolve a marriage earn a great deal of knowledge in the process that they often wish they had before the divorce began. Many divorced individuals will then happily pass on their knowledge to others who may be facing divorce. Here are a few of the best tips from those who have already been where you may be today:

Social media is ostensibly meant to bring people together, not tear them apart. However, in recent years, these sites seem to have accomplished the opposite for many couples, as there are studies which indicate that sites such as Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram may be a contributing factor to divorce rates. 

Although most people begin using social media accounts with positive intentions, these apps can start consuming a high percentage of a person’s day. The average American checks their social media 17 times each day. Although this statistic is much lower than many other countries, Americans utilize the most mobile data on a consistent basis, using an average of 4.7 hours daily per person. You may also be surprised to learn that adults ages 25 to 54 are the most frequent culprits when it comes to compulsive social media checking. All of this time we spend attached to our phones can take away from valuable family time and can give too much of our attention to the lives of others. These sites are now commonly cited as a factor leading to the demise of a relationship.