Top 10 Signs Your Date is a Married Man

So you are dating a great guy who swears he is single. But after a while, you start to have doubts. Are you being paranoid or oblivious? That depends. Does he pay for everything in cash? Does he only go out with you right after work? Does his job involve a lot of travel? Has he ever had you over to his house? Does he refuse to answer certain phone calls in front of you? Actually, that could be that he is married, or that he is dodging bill collectors. For more of the Top 10 Signs Your Date is a Married Man, see this article.

Josh Powell, Husband of Missing Utah Mom Susan Powell, Loses Custody of Boys

Be careful who you live with - it could cost you custody of your kids. That is the lesson Josh Powell learned recently, when the court took custody of his two young boys away from him and gave it to his in-laws. Josh Powell is the husband of Susan Powell, the Utah woman who has been missing. The day she disappeared, Josh claims to have taken the boys, then ages 2 and 4 years, on a camping trip (in freezing temperatures). Josh's refusal to cooperate with the police has been given as one reason for the court determining the boys are not safe in the home with him. The other reason is that they were living with Josh's father, Steve Powell, who was been charged with voyeurism (for secretly videotaping two young neighbor girls in their own bathrooms - eww!) and for possession of child pornography. More information in this article.

Do You Want Step-Parenting to Suck Less?

Many of us have been there - step-parent to resentful children. Often, you will be treated as the reason their parents divorced, even if the child knows it is not true. This can happen when the child knows you did not meet their parents until years after they divorced, or that the other parent is the one who saw other people during the marriage. Is there any hope? Or will you both walk on eggshells around each other and hope the child will go to college far away? These step-relationship problems often are a factor in the second marriage ending in divorce - or not happening at all. Why would you walk to walk down the aisle with someone whose child hates you? On the other hand, why should the child welcome you with open arms? She didn't have a voice when her parents divorced. No one has asked her how she feels about you becoming a part of her life. Since more than half of second marriages end in divorce anyway, her best bet is to be a total pain and hope you two will either not get married, or will get divorced. Clearly, no one is happy in this situation. This article gives practical insight and advice on how to understand each other better and actually create a good, respectful, caring step-parenting relationship.

Yes, Sex Life Can Predict Divorce, But With A Twist

You would think the frequency of sex and intimacy would be an important factor, but this study shows, surprisingly, it is not. Satisfaction with sex and intimacy was a much better predictor of whether the couple would divorce than frequency. For men, sexual satisfaction decreased the likelihood of divorce by about 83%, and was the single most important factor in predicting divorce. For women, satisfaction was important, but no more so than satisfaction with the overage quality of the marriage. The funny thing is, couples don't have to be on the same page with this. In other words, a couple can wildly disagree on their level of satisfaction with the sex and intimacy in the marriage, and that disagreement does not make them any more likely to divorce than a couple who agree on the levels of satisfaction.

Til Death Do Us Part - Or 2 Years, Whichever Comes First

It used to be, back in the days of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, that people would go to Mexico for a quickie divorce. Now, if the proposed legislation passes, people in Mexico can get a quickie marriage - sort of. The proposed legislation would allow people to decide how long they would be married, with a minimum of two years. They would decide ahead of time what they would do about children, money and other things if the marriage doesn't work out. If, at the end of the time they had decided, they don't want to stay married, then they no longer are. No divorce necessary. At first it may sound crazy, but I think it really sounds quite civilized. Much more civilized than divorce court.

Read This Before You Sign That Pre-Nup

Alright, you're in love. We're all happy for you. And your dearly beloved sticks a 50 page document under your nose a few days before you are set to waltz down the aisle. Do you think, "We're in love. Our marriage will last. Since we are never going to divorce, what difference does it make if I sign this silly paper?" Not so fast, girlfriend or loverboy. Read this article on the 6 things you need to know about pre-nups. And don't you even think of signing the document without reading this article first.

Man Charged With Torching His House Rather Than Give to His Wife in Divorce

Yes, you did read that correctly. A man in Pennsylvania has been charged with arson, insurance fraud and theft by deception for allegedly setting fire to the marital home, which was, under the divorce settlement, to have been sold and the proceeds paid to his ex-wife. The article describes that gas-soaked rags were found in the garage, the walls of which were also soaked with gasoline. He apparently filed an insurance claim on the fire loss. Talk about a series of bad decisions that he will have the rest of his life to regret.

What If You and Your Ex Have to Live Together After Divorce?

In today's economy, sometimes it can be many months or even a year or two before the house sells. Many people can barely afford one household, and they certainly can't afford two households - until the house sells. So, if you get stuck living with your ex for months or longer after the divorce, how do you keep from killing each other? Seriously, how do you live together without everyone being miserable - especially the kids? This great article helps you set ground rules in this situation. I'll bet you know someone who could use this information.

Want help getting rid of stuff after your divorce?

Wouldn't you love some unbiased, unemotional advice on what to keep and what to throw out the window at high speed after your divorce? And no, I am not referring to your ex. Get great information to help you clear out the junk and get rolling on a fresh start.

Why Do Men Move On Faster Than Women After Divorce?

It's not just your perception - divorced men really do remarry faster than divorced women. Do you wonder why that is? Is it because more women have custody of the children, so they are effectively taken out of the "dating pool" if they are busy raising the children, handling their day job, managing homework and running the kids around to their activities? Is it because men tend to get over things and bounce back quicker? Is it because women are busy working through the things that were problems so they don't make the same mistakes again? Is it because men don't want to cook and clean for themselves? Or is it something else? Read a great discussion of this topic.

Massachusetts to overhaul law on lifetime alimony

The governor of Massachusetts is expected to sign into law new legislation that would get rid of "lifetime alimony." The article states that the bill, "which has already been approved by the House and Senate, establishes guidelines for alimony payments and limits the duration of payments, ending so-called "lifetime alimony" payments ordered by some judges in divorce cases. One of the biggest changes in the bill would set limits on how long a spouse can receive alimony, based on how long the couple was married. Patrick plans to sign the bill Monday at the Statehouse. The state's current alimony laws don't set any duration limits. The bill's supporters say the new guidelines will help judges make fair decisions."

Marijuana or Child Custody? Which would you choose?

Which would you choose - custody of your child or marijuana? With the increase in use of medical marijuana, this issue has taken a different turn than in the past. Read this great article on Marijuana or Child Custody in the Huffington Post.

How To Recognize Your Future Ex-Husband

This book, How To Recognize Your Future Ex-Husband, applies equally to both genders - future ex-wives and future ex-husbands. It explains why we make the bad choices we do sometimes when choosing spouses. We rationalize their behavior, when down deep, we know there is a problem. Before you get married, read this book.

Grandparents and Divorce - What About Grandma?

The issue of how the divorce of their adult children will affect the grandparents is seldom raised during divorce. After the divorce, however, the grandparents might be called on more to help out with child care for their single-parent offspring, or the grandparents might see the grandchildren less after divorce.

This excellent article explores these issues, and makes a very good case for considering how the divorce of their adult children will affect the grandparents.

Tips on Back to School for Divorced Parents

Get great ideas on how to avoid back-to-school hassles for divorced parents. Your kids have enough stress as it is. Step up to the plate, be a good parent, set your own grievances aside, and find out how to make things as good as they can be for your child.

11-year-old charged with stepbrother's death - WDAM - Channel 7 - Mississippi News, Hattiesburg, Laurel

An 11 year-old boy in Indiana has been charged with murdering his 6 year-old stepbrother, who was shot in the head. As I sit here trying to write my thoughts on this story, I am just shaking my head, baffled at what could cause this to happen with children this young. If it was intentional, how on earth can an 11 year-old become like that? Whether it was intentional or not, why did an 11 year-old have access to a gun and ammunition? Link to story below.

11-year-old charged with stepbrother's death - WDAM - Channel 7 - Mississippi News, Hattiesburg, Laurel

Will Casey Anthony's Parents Divorce?

When the dust settles from the "not guilty" verdict from the murder trial and people take a break from expressing their opinions as to whether Casey Anthony was guilty or innocent, and whether the jury did the right thing, she and her family will have to get on with the rest of their lives.

What will their lives look like?

Casey Anthony will most likely be drummed out of any place she tries to live. After accusing her father of molesting her, and accusing her mother of leaving the pool ladder up and causing the child's alleged drowning, she is not likely to be welcome at her parents' house. She will probably write a book, not that anyone will believe anything she says in it.

But what about her family?

Her parents have to live the rest of their lives being known as the parents of the person many people believe got away with murdering her own little girl. Their faces have been plastered all over the television and internet. It will be a long time before they can even go to the grocery store in peace.

The stress they have endured, of their grandchild dying and a notorious public trial, as well as the accusations their daughter made against them,is almost mind-boggling. Would your marriage survive this? Many marriages do not. It is a tragedy that many families end up in divorce when they have endured this level of stress. Just when they need each other the most, they are pulled apart. How many of us would survive having our private lives on display for the entire world to see?

The Four Worst Words a Man Can Say During Divorce

Do you think you know the four worst words a man can say during divorce? No, not that one, or that one, or the other one. None of the four words are hateful or name-calling. Read this interesting article to find out why "I just want out" are the four worst words a man can say during divorce. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-t-pisarra/welcome-to-the-danger-zon_b_852806.html?ncid=wsc-huffpost-cards-headline

Is Marriage Obsolete?

Some people say that divorce rates have stopped rising. This may be true, but to get to the true picture of what is going on, we need to look at the state of relationships today. Many people in their 20s and 30s are just not getting married. If you don't get married, then you don't have to go through divorce. Perhaps they saw their parents go through an ugly divorce - perhaps they were put in the middle of that divorce. They may have sworn they would never do that to their child, and that they would never go through a contentious divorce, so they just never got married. If you look around at your friends and family, what do you see? How many people are in long-term stable "family relationships" - whether that means being married or living together? How does this compared with 10, 20, 30 years ago in your circle of friends and family?

Today's Divorce = Separate Bedrooms

For many people in today's economy, the closest they can afford to come to divorce is separate bedrooms. When one spouse is unemployed, they do not want to go out on their own, and the other spouse does not want to risk having to pay maintenance (alimony). People used to sell the house and split the equity, which would make it possible for each one to start a new life. Now, people owe more than their houses are worth, they can't sell their houses, and they can't qualify for a mortgage on their own. So they stay together as roommates with separate bedrooms, biding their time until the economy turns around so they can afford to get divorced. In other words, they are miserable.