Family

You’ve probably read professional relationship advice about how to survive with your partner into retirement. That always comes with lots of practical instructions about working together and enjoying each other’s company. It all sounds a bit twee…

When I taught writing, I asked my students to describe their parents by using the five senses. Gosh, does this writing exercise elicit vibrant responses! Here are some words my community college students, who ranged in age from 18 to 60, used to describe…

Having children is overrated. The idea is you raise your kids until they’re 18 and it’s over. No, it isn’t. It’s never over because your those kids become your parents when they grow up. My children are grown and I’d love to get over them, but I can’t…

To divide a 401(k) plan or pension in divorce, a court order is required. In the private sector, this document is called a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, or “QDRO,” and I will use that term generically in this article. However, federal plans…

Over the past few years, gray divorce has been increasing. Since 1990, the rate of people over the age of 50 getting a divorce has doubled. What exactly is a gray divorce? Most of the time, the term “gray divorce” refers to couples…

When you were younger but already adult, your parents most likely helped you in every way they could. Not everyone has such help, but a huge number of us do. And perhaps your grandparents did the same. Maybe it was financial help…

My father died in 1991. I was 47 years old, and I continue to feel him with me each and every day. It is difficult to lose someone we love. In her poem, “One Art,” Elizabeth Bishop says, “So many things seem filled with the intent to be lost…

Overall, the American Psychological Association estimates about 20-40% of divorces are due to infidelity. The breach of trust and the dissolution of a once-committed relationship can leave lasting wounds. Nevertheless, it is possible…

When my husband and I were traveling in Germany several years ago, we had the most delightful driver who brought us to the airport. We started with polite conversation, as one does, and soon discovered we had quite a bit in common…

Releasing your kids to adulthood is a mixed blessing. You are both proud and saddened. They are embracing maturity and that’s a good thing! But your home will change after they leave, and that can be a confusing prospect. Now is the time to prepare yourself for these…