My Hardships Made Me Who I Am Today

Essay by Nakia Simmons

This is an essay by Nakia Simmons, a finalist for the 2018 WeParent Scholarship. She is a student at Columbus State Community College.

As a child I’ve been through so many hardships, all in which made me who I am today, which is a wonderful single mother. I am someone who works for what I want and deserve. I am also a young lady that loves school and will finish college regardless of my circumstances. I was raised in a single parent household, by my grandmother. Both of my parents were on drugs and not fit to raise me or my siblings.

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Growing Up with Divorced Parents

Essay by Kendall Polidori

This is an essay by Kendall Polidori, a finalist for the 2018 WeParent Scholarship. She is a student at Columbia College Chicago.

Growing up with divorced parents shaped my life in ways that I would have never thought possible. My mom, raising me basically on her own, taught me the importance of being independent, dedicated, and goal oriented. Though at the time when everything first happened it seemed like it would never get better and that I was forced to grow up too fast, I came out on the other side a better person than if it didn’t happen.

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Single Mothers: Love in Triplicate

Love in triplicate

This is an essay by Kristina McGee who was awarded the 2018 WeParent Scholarship. She is a student at California Lutheran University.

When I was one week old, my birth mother wrapped me in a blanket and left me in the public square of a small town in China. A passerby carried me to an orphanage, where I spent the first year of my life. Of course, I do not remember any of that, but from what I know of China at the time, I believe my birth mother was young and single. Keeping me would have left her stigmatized and unable to provide for me. I like to think she had a loving heart, and I can only imagine the pain of abandoning her baby just because she did not have a mate.

Yet my life as a child of a single parent had just begun. On my first birthday, my adoptive (and single!) “forever mom” arrived in China, took me in her arms, and promised to love me forever. We flew 36 hours to Philadelphia, then drove to the only home I have ever known. I can only hope that somehow my birth mother knows that I am happy, fortunate beyond all dreams, and now a college freshman!

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Financial and Legal Responsibilities When Hiring a Nanny

Nanny pushing stroller

When you hire a nanny, you are considered a “household employer”. And the nanny – or another person performing work in or near your home, like a health aide, housekeeper, gardener, cook, personal assistant, estate manager, etc. — is considered an employee of the family. Misclassifying an employee as an “independent contractor” is viewed as tax evasion by the IRS.

If a household employee is paid more than $2,100 in a calendar year, the household employer is required to withhold and remit payroll taxes to the state and the IRS. If a household pays an employee less than the threshold in a calendar year, payroll taxes are not required to be withheld and remitted; however, the household is still legally considered an employer and, therefore, must adhere to federal and state labor laws.

In this post, we review your responsibilities as a household employer, and suggest a do-for-you solution by our partner, HomePay.

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Managing Holidays with Your Co-Parent

Christmas celebration

Holidays can be stressful for families – especially when you need to coordinate them with a co-parent after a divorce or separation. There are many times for you, your partner, or your children to become overwhelmed with the division of time. Here are 4 core ideas to keep in mind in order to handle the holidays as smoothly as possible.

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How Divorce Affects Your Kids

Impact of divorce on kids

It goes without saying that divorce will affect your children in some way. There have been many studies that have examined how divorce affects children. Some researchers have studied children over time to record the impact of divorce long term. Others have examined parental behavior as a predictor of children’s reactions to divorce. Given all of this research, fortunately, there are some things you can do as a parent to protect your kids from the negative impacts of your divorce.

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What Is Your Co-Parenting Style?

Co-Parenting Style

How you co-parent after a divorce plays a critical role in how your children will adjust and grow. Your co-parenting style will depend on the type of post-divorce relationship with your ex, specifically the degree of conflict vs. cooperation in your relationship.

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How to Tell Your Kids about Your Trial Separation

family counseling

You have weighed the pros and cons and decided to try a trial separation. Now, how do you tell the kids?

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How Divorce Affects You as a Parent

effect-of-divorce-on-parent

Much has been written about the impact of divorce on children. Its impact on the parents is less studied. In this post, we review research on the effects of divorce on adults. While many effects are common for both men and women, some research shows that divorce can affect women differently from men.

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Is Trial Separation Right for Your Family?

trial-separation

Things are not going well in your marriage, but a divorce is so final. Could a trial separation be a good idea for you?

There are many things to think about when considering a trial separation, especially if you have kids.

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