Divorce is difficult for everyone involved, but for parents and children who are separated by long distances, adjusting to life after divorce can be exceptionally challenging. But thanks to fast internet and inexpensive devices, staying in touch with far-away family members is now easier than ever. While there is no substitute for spending time with your little one in person and getting to hold them, helping them get ready for school, or watching them change from day to day, electronic parenting time may be the next best option.

What is Virtual Visitation or Electronic Parenting Time?

Just like in-person parenting time, electronic parenting time is court-ordered time that a parent gets to spend with his or her child via phone call, video call, texting, or another form of electronic communication. And just like in-person parenting time, both parents are responsible for ensuring electronic parenting time happens. This means the parent who has in-person parenting time must keep tablets or phones charged, ensure the child has openings in their schedule, and take other steps so the parent with electronic parenting time can communicate with their child.

Can My Ex Deny My Electronic Parenting Time?

Neither parent can alter a parenting plan without permission from the court. This means one parent cannot allow a child to become “too busy” to schedule electronic communication with the other parent. Not even failing to pay child support can prevent one parent from allowing the other parent to have electronic parenting time. If your parenting plan includes electronic parenting time and your ex is preventing you from contacting your child, you can take action through the court to try to enforce your ex into compliance.

Although many Illinois parents get divorced because they dislike their spouse, the unfortunate truth is if you share minor children, your relationship with your spouse does not end after divorce. Parenting is a never-ending job and once you are divorced, your parenting obligations are codified in a court-ordered parenting agreement which you must then abide by in cooperation with your ex.

But focusing on the stress that you feel when you have to deal with your ex during childcare exchanges is a surefire way to lose out on the special moments you can share with your kids during parenting time. Kids need the love and support of both parents, and if you can maintain your focus on your children, you are likely to benefit as well. Here are four tips for making the most of your parenting time after your Illinois divorce.

Maintain a Positive Attitude

Kids are very sensitive to their parents’ moods and attitudes. If they feel like you are angry or upset every time they come to visit, they may believe it is their fault - even if your feelings have nothing to do with them. If your relationship with your spouse tends to degenerate quickly into conflict, limit interaction as much as possible so you can focus on showing your kids how excited and happy you are to be with them.

Although the initial tax deadline passed a month ago, many people - especially those who are recently divorced - have yet to manage their 2021 taxes because they are unsure about what to expect from the filing process after their Illinois divorce. Divorce can have significant tax implications, and although it is important to understand these before you file your taxes, it is also important not to avoid filing your taxes because you feel like you do not have all the information you need. Here is a brief overview of some of the things you will need to pay attention to on your first tax filing after you begin divorce proceedings.

Determine Your Filing Status

If your divorce was completed after December 31, 2021, you can file your 2021 taxes jointly even if your divorce has now been finalized. Filing jointly may be only one option available to you; depending on the date of your divorce, your filing status could also be married filing separately, single, or head of household. Each of these has benefits and drawbacks and which one you choose will depend on your divorce, your financial goals, and your living situation.

Claiming a Child as a Dependent

When your filing status is married filing jointly, you and your spouse can both claim your child as a dependent on your joint tax return. When you are divorced, however, only one parent can claim a child as a dependent. Experts recommend including which parent will get to claim the children in the divorce negotiations; failing to do so can cause your taxes to be rejected or even result in fines and penalties.

Although there are rarely hard and fast rules about a topic as complex as divorce, the truth is that divorce tends to affect men and women in different ways. Certain patterns exist that suggest there are real differences in terms of how each gender deals with divorce and that the most significant negative consequences of divorce are not the same for men as they are for women. This is not to say that one gender has it easier in divorce than another; rather, that divorce is challenging for men and women in unique ways and men can benefit from the help of an experienced Illinois divorce attorney who has helped focus on issues that men often face.

Negative Health Outcomes

A surprising but significant impact of divorce on men is the remarkable detrimental effect on their long-term health. Divorced men have higher rates of nearly every adverse health outcome, including, but not limited to:

• Strokes
• Heart attacks
• Cancer
• Dementia
• Inflammation

Researchers postulate that this could happen, in part, because men tend to become more isolated after divorce, whereas women tend to benefit from larger friend groups and other social support systems.

Divorce is common throughout the United States, including Illinois, and most partners who learn of their spouse’s desire to get a divorce are not surprised by the news. Yet while both parties may be unhappy in the marriage and being served divorced papers may come as no shock, women are far more likely than men to initiate the divorce process - roughly 70 percent of the time, in fact. But why is this?

Why Do Wives Initiate Divorce More Often?

For those inclined to understand human behavior through the lens of evolution, the natural differences between men and women offer explanations for why women are more likely to ask for divorce. People now have more choices (or at least the illusion of more choices) when it comes to potential partners, thanks to the widespread use of dating apps and social media. When people feel as though the world is their romantic oyster, they are more likely to become pickier about their partners - even if they are already married. This is true for men and women alike.

Research suggests that generally speaking, women and men value different things in relationships. While men value youth and beauty, women value men with an abundance of resources and a relatively high position in the social hierarchy. In the past, women and men have had distinct social roles that usually made them dependent on each other. In turn, this made marriage rates more stable. However, as women become more financially independent and the meaning of traditional masculinity is somewhat muddied by flexible gender roles, women, simply put, can see more options and have less incentive to settle for partners they perceive to be below them in wealth or social hierarchy.