Denver Colorado Family Law Blog

Some people go through life shutting every metaphorical door they go through. It means that they drop high school friends in favor of college friends. They drop college friends in favor of work friends. It means they delete or block the numbers of ex-girlfriends or ex-boyfriends.

It can work for some, but it can make circumstances more complicated than they need to be for divorced parents with children. Unless the relationship was unhealthy or unsafe, collaborative parenting can be easier and less stressful for the family. Plus, the ex may turn out to be a better coparent than a spouse.

All parents experience moments when their child dismisses them in favor of the other parent, grandparent or caregiver. This can be heartbreaking, particularly when it happens to the primary caregiver, but any parent. Kids, particularly young ones, don’t mince words. They’ll say something along the lines of, "No, I want daddy to pick me up from school.” Or it can be a matter of insisting that mom, and only mom, can cook for them.

Family experts acknowledge that it's typical behavior if a bit jarring to the spurned parent. It can be a matter of child development unrelated to anything, but often this is the response to a move, a change in schedules, a new job or a parent’s divorce. Children are creatures of habit and often react strongly to change to their routine.

There are hundreds of details that couples must iron out as they go through the process of filing for divorce. These include a parenting plan, custody, dividing assets and debt, and other issues specific to the family. Often left until after the fact, or completely overlooked, many do not alter estate plan arrangements.

Colorado law automatically revokes appointments or bequests made to former spouses once the divorce is final – they are regarded as deceased in the eyes of the law. The assets are automatically shifted to the next of kin, such as children. However, this can make the estate needlessly complicated, particularly if the children are too young or unable to oversee your estate administration. The good news is that updating these arrangements can be as easy as changing the names on essential estate planning documents.

There are natural ebbs and flows to every marriage or relationship. We are all aware of this on a conscious level or subconscious level. While most ride these ebbs and flows, there may come a time when a spouse will wonder if their partner had a bad day or the partner is no longer interested in spending time with their spouse.

5 questions to ask