Welcome to our initial Newsletter, Future Focused!

We hope that this newsletter will advise you of the ever changing laws that could affect you and/or your family and provide suggestions for making your future the best that you can.

Divorce is often described as one of, or the most, stressful time of someone’s life. There are so many unknowns, so many changes, and so many firsts. Because of this heightened stress, it becomes even more important, and frankly even more difficult, to ensure that people going through a divorce are taking care of themselves and that they have the right professionals to assist them along the way.

Recently, I have gone through the most stressful time that I have had to experience to date. As some of you know, last November, I purchased the future home of McGill Law, and started a new business to house not just McGill Law, but other like-minded professionals with the vision of different professionals working together to assist clients through their legal matters in a more respectful, dignified and less stressful manner. The Nebraska Collaborative Center was years in the making and we were thrilled when we finally found a building that could bring our vision into reality. The plan is to hold regular offerings of classes, sessions, and meetings focused on different aspects of healthy living and stress reduction. Unfortunately, we are yet to be able to utilize the building due to numerous roadblocks. As you can imagine, the stress of having an unusable building is extreme. Through this experience, I have come to appreciate the additional stress that our clients face when going through a divorce or child custody issue.

Although my situation and stress is certainly not the same, I have a new level of appreciation for my clients and the stress they are going through. I’m grateful to say that we now have a deeper level of compassion for our clients and can help guide them through their legal process and toward a happier, healthier future even better than before. We want to join our clients on their journey to find peace. Know someone who could benefit from our compassionate approach? Have them call McGill Law today! (402)548-5418.

Managing Divorce and Children

During the Holidays:

Tips for Surviving this Season of Life

Plan in Advance.

Work out where your children will be during the holiday season, and where, when and how exchanges will take place. Your children will feel secure knowing the plan ahead of time, and you will experience less frustration if you are not figuring out the details last minute. These free tools can help:

• Google Calendar: This calendar links all calendars

on one easy-to-access calendar, which can send you

pop up alerts and reminders.

• Cozi: This app has calendars, grocery lists and to-do

lists to help you stay organized.

Remember the true meaning of the holidays: love and spending time with family.

Which means it’s ok if you have to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza etc. with your children on a day different than what you’d normally celebrate it. Don’t get hung up on the date, and instead focus on the celebration when you are with your kids! Ten years from now your kids won’t remember what date they opened presents with you in 2018. But they will remember your annual traditions and if the time spent with you was joyful! Don’t try to compete financially with your spouse. Especially if your finances are tight while you adjust to a division of assets and the added costs of divorce. Instead, focus on providing your children with new family traditions, or experiences. It doesn’t have to cost a lot! Inexpensive ideas to try:

 • Look online to obtain a map of the best-decorated

houses in your area. Then pack hot chocolate and

snacks for car, throw on your favorite holiday tunes

and enjoy!

• Bake holiday treats and deliver them to your neighbors

or nearby retirement community.

• Have a holiday movie night. Your favorite holiday

movies can be rented online or borrowed from your

nearby library. Drag a bunch of pillows and blankets

to your living room for a cozy spot to watch, pop

some popcorn and snuggle up!

Banish Loneliness.

The holidays can be lonely if you are spending them alone, especially if your kids will be with the other spouse during that time. Don’t be afraid to reach out to family or friends and ask to join their celebrations! Or, if you’re afraid of crashing their party, make one of your own and throw your own holiday dinner, inviting others who don’t have somewhere to celebrate. It’s also a great time of year to volunteer at your local shelter, hospital or retirement home. Don’t forget the option of picking up an extra shift at work, starting a new hobby or joining a divorce support group. In short, if you find yourself lonely at home, you have other options!

Get professional help.

If there’s an area of your divorce which is especially stressing you out, talk to the professionals in your life for help. Maybe your lawyer, therapist or financial planner has just the right solution for you. If you haven’t started the divorce process yet and are stressing about it; look into collaborative divorce to see if it’s the right fit for you. Check out the chart in this newsletter for an overview of the differences between traditional litigation and collaborative practice.