I have been contacted by some really great guys here at the Great Escape blog. One of them said to me last week “I have a strong feeling that many men like myself who could benefit from your words are immediately turned off by the subject and the target audience.” Burrrrrrn.

image source; littlebowsweetsblogspot.ca

There was nothing more painful than the kid’s birthdays during divorce.  Will they be with mom or dad and what do they want to do? If you’re in the wrong week according to the custody schedule, you may not get to see them on their special day.  It can feel ‘all wrong’ especially when you were the stay at home mom who planned all the previous parties.

As promised, this is Part 2 of the Narcissist subject. If you missed Part 1 then you can read it here. We discussed the difference between a run of the mill A**hole and a Narcissist in Part 1. 

Understanding the differences and similarities can help us put the personality disorder into perspective and reduce our inclination to label people including our exes. Before embarking on this post we need to understand that we all have some narcissistic qualities but it is the extreme Narcissistic personality that we discuss here.

This post was updated on May 9, 2020.

Have you heard of Scapegoating syndrome? I hadn’t heard of it until I randomly came across this post in my facebook feed;  Scapegoating: When You Get Stuck Trying to Outrun Someone Else’s Shadow by Glynis Sherwood. This article answered many questions for me. It solved a mystery that I just couldn’t figure out.

image; Jan’spageofawesomeness tumblr

Fall is in the air. I can almost smell the new, freshly sharpened pencils and blank notebooks.  You know the ones with the line on the left margin? I can feel the brand new text books with stubborn spines holding promise of a new world of words and facts.  Even if we’re not returning to school something in our soul tells us so.  The falling leaves, the sound of school bells and new shoes all say “hey, what are you going to learn?”

Are you going back to school to try something new or are you going to simply turn over a new leaf?

I’m working on a series of videos with ‘bite sized’ tips.  All of the videos will cover topics related to divorce.  I wanted to share one of them here because  it’s a very important topic.  Telling your kids…making that dreaded announcement.  You can guess that we’re not going to say “Honey, your Dad and I have decided to concsiously uncouple.”  No.  Not happening.

Undoubtedly, one of the biggest challenges during divorce and in the initial stages of separation, is parenting. Parenting is a labour of love even in intact homes.  However, add divorce and it is  riddled with guilt, logistical obstacles, loneliness and tug of war.  If you’re experiencing any of this know you’re not alone.

image; pinterest

AS each  new day unfolds, so does your story.  Will you tell yours?  How will you tell it?  Will it be a comedic play, a romantic novel, a love song, a dramatic film or serious documentary.  Maybe  how isn’t as important as the simple fact

photo source; children-and-dvorce.net

One of the most destructive patterns of behavior in a divorce is Parental Alienation Syndrome or PAS as it is known in certain circles.  I hadn’t heard of the term when I separated from my husband but if only I had, I would have seen the red flags flying above my head.  While knowledge is power, I was naive. Even if you are not experiencing PAS, it’s important to understand what it is and at least recognize the signs.

image source; Dreamstime

From the archives, a common dilemma divorcing women face:

When we find out we’re expecting we are overwhelmed and delighted by the prospect of entering a new phase in our life; motherhood.  We want to do what’s best for our babies.  Thus begins the long path of putting our children’s needs before our own.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this is a bad thing however as we learn years later, the decision we thought was the best at one point ends up hurting us.  If you are like me and stayed home to raise your children you have given up the prospects of furthering your career during all of those years.  The rewards and benefits of staying home are invaluable to our children but there is a price to pay in the event of divorce.  We stay at home moms are