Maybe your marriage began this way. Suddenly, you realized you’re in love and want nothing more than to spend the rest of your life with this perfect person by your side. Sunbeams followed you, birds sang to you, and the entire universe stood in awe of your love. There was no mistake, this was a match made in heaven, and you thought that you would be one of those very lucky few who find themselves celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

But, in reality, people change. Events and circumstances change. Things that you found so cute seven years ago, are just annoying and frustrating now. The ship of your marriage has begun to flounder in turbulent waters, and now you find yourself navigating your divorce well shy of that 50th anniversary.

Navigating your divorce in any circumstance and life stage is very difficult. Navigating your divorce as a stay-at-home dad often comes with its own unique difficulties and challenges. The unique divorce difficulties that come with stay-at-home fatherhood result from the fact that, traditionally, women have been the stay-at-home parent and so the court typically grants child custody to the woman. Stay-at-home fathers, however, are questioning their custody rights in this matter, since they have been the ones staying home and caring for the children.

Once upon a time, stay-at-home parenting was generally for women only. In those times, it was incredibly rare that fathers were found in the primary caregiver position. However, in these modern days, stay-at-home fathers are on the rise, as traditional gender roles are proven to be in flux. As a result, more and more fathers are claiming their rights to acquiring their equal share of time with children.

An old song says that this is the "most wonderful time of the year." Divorce is never an easy thing, and going through divorce during the holidays is almost unthinkable. The holidays are a time for family, but what if this December means a possible separation?

When it comes to marriage, there are some things you need to consider before joining hearts, hands, and a lifetime partnership. What couples wish they knew before the wedding can be an exercise in hindsight that prepares you for your next relationship. The reality is that all relationships take work, but marriage trumps most relationships, because the person you choose to marry will eventually know everything about you; and, let's face it, we all have some idiosyncrasies that may drive our significant other nuts.

One of the greatest gifts you can give to your child is to be a positive role model. Learning how to be a relationship role model for your child is vital, especially in divorce in Jacksonville. Your child is watching you and learning how to navigate relationships based on your example. Whether you live in Jacksonville or New York, relationships require good choices.

Kenny Leigh and Associates is a men-only family law firm with offices in Jacksonville, Daytona, Fleming Island, Gainesville, Fort Walton Beach, and Boca Raton, serving all of North and South Florida.

Children can experience a great deal of stress during a divorce. Their world is about to change and they can also feel the emotions of their parents during all of it. There are some signals to watch for that can indicate your child is going through stress. You can talk to a Jacksonville family law attorney about any concerns you notice. Kenny Leigh and Associates has men-only family law offices in Jacksonville, Daytona, Gainesville, Fleming Island, Boca Raton, and Fort Walton Beach, serving all of North and South Florida.

After a divorce, Jacksonville dads frequently have to make special arrangements to keep in contact with their kids – and it can require a number of plans and considerations. It becomes even more difficult for the father when he does not have custody and his children live a significant distance away. Seeing them and making arrangements for visitation will require some effort and planning.

Kenny Leigh and Associates is a men-only family law firm with offices in Jacksonville, Fleming Island, Daytona, Gainesville, Fort Walton Beach, and Boca Raton, serving all of North and South Florida.

Here are some guidelines that can make the process work better if you find yourself in this same situation:

Joint custody can be daunting. Your life is upside down. You have a weird schedule. You don’t see your kids every day. You have to figure out how to make it all work. Co-parenting well is worth the effort, and it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. We’re going to cover two main categories to make co-parenting an experience of growth: attitude and communication.

Memorandum

The topic of whether Kelly credits should be awarded normally arises after dissolution of marriage has been entered and one party has been given exclusive use and possession of the marital home. Usually, the party retaining possession of the home also retains majority timesharing of any minor children of the parties. Normally, the exclusive use and possession is conditioned on some future event, such as the minor child reaching the age of 18 or the remarriage of the party in possession. At the time the condition is reached, the house is to be sold and the proceeds are divided between the parties. The question that arises is: What amount, if any, should be given to the party retaining possession for the upkeep and payments for the house while in possession?

When working through divorce, Jacksonville dads can tap into support from electronic media. Using electronics can be a great stress-reliever when communicating with your former spouse. By placing appointments, meeting dates and times on a common electronic calendar that is accessible to your ex-wife and you, there is less need for face-to-face contact. But electronic media also has some snares and drawbacks any newly-divorced dad needs to watch out for. 

Fatherhood means different things to different men. Some cherish it; some find it a burden. Still, others will confront challenges to their custodial and visitation rights, as well as child support, during divorce. But, it all starts with an assumption of paternity.

While there may be a lot of bitterness between you and your soon-to-be-ex-wife, that doesn't mean that you can't let the holidays still be a magical time for your family.

Nothing compares to the happiness of children spending the holidays with their father. Being able to amiably share the children on holidays looks great in court, and can even help sway a court in favor of the father if the custody rights have not been determined or finalized. Even if you've been divorced for a while and have found a decent balance in your new relationship, it can be challenging for both partners to share the children during such a family-centric time of year.

While going through the actual process of legally separating, you may deal with problems that arise when your wife cancels your health insurance before a divorce or with other insurance policies that you may have shared. Kenny Leigh and Associates is a men only family law firm with six offices serving Jacksonville, Gainesville, Fleming Island, Daytona, Boca Raton, and Fort Walton Beach in both the North Florida and South Florida areas. 

One of the most difficult parts of a divorce is the reality of explaining it to the children. The divorce process is difficult for everyone involved in it, particularly for a child who has no fault in the matter. Kenny Leigh and Associates is a men only family law firm with experience in men only child custody cases. Kenny Leigh and Associates has six offices serving Jacksonville, Gainesville, Fleming Island, Daytona and Boca Raton, and Fort Walton Beach in both the North Florida and South Florida areas. 

Single fathers have all sorts of reasons to make sure that they both make and stick to their new year’s resolutions this coming year. In many cases single fathers have undergone a difficult divorce and custody battle, only to receive the short end of the stick. For some, men only child custody issues still loom like fresh wounds, with child support, visitation, and other issues as well.

The whole process of a divorce can be emotionally draining for both parties involved. There are so many things to consider, such as child support, alimony, and finance. In Florida, if minor children are involved the issue of child support and custody will make the divorce process a little longer. Questions will arise about navigating your divorce and what to expect in the divorce process. It is important that you contact a lawyer to learn more about your legal rights and obligations. Kenny Leigh and Associates is a men only family law firm with offices in Jacksonville, Fleming Island, Daytona, Gainesville, Fort Walton Beach, and Boca Raton, Florida.

During a divorce, you aren't just breaking up a marriage; you are also splitting up your finances. This is often where things get messy, and knowing how to protect yourself is important if you want to retain as much of your finances as possible. One issue that couples end up running into problems with is joint bank accounts. Both individuals have full access to these accounts, and it’s common for one to pull all the money out of the account after the decision to divorce has been made. If you are concerned about this scenario occurring, learn how to protect yourself now.

Being a divorced parent brings its own unique set of challenges, and approaching the holiday season as a divorced parent can be overwhelming. Child custody battles are often contentious. Parents who are going through a divorce often disagree over the split family holiday schedule. Below are several tips to help you manage the holidays as a divorced parent. Kenny Leigh and Associates is a men-only family law firm with experience in divorce in Fleming Island, Florida. Kenny Leigh and Associates has six offices in Jacksonville, Daytona, Gainesville, Fleming Island, Fort Walton Beach, and Boca Raton, serving all of North and South Florida.

Let’s face it, no matter where you are in a divorce case there are times when the entire situation brings bouts of depression. This is especially true over the holiday season. Spending time with your wife and children is a symbolic tradition that is not easily given up.

People contemplate divorce for many reasons. While couples do not marry looking to get a divorce, situations and people do change, and under many circumstances, divorce becomes an option. Some reasons for divorce are minor and slight, and some reasons are definite marriage deal breakers. The following is a list of potential marriage deal breakers that could lead to divorce. Kenny Leigh and Associates is a trusted family law firm of divorce attorneys for Jacksonville men. Kenny Leigh and Associates has 6 offices in Jacksonville, Daytona, Gainesville, Fleming Island, Fort Walton Beach, and Boca Raton, serving all of North and South Florida.