As Economy Tanks More Couples Forced To Put Off Divorce

    NEW YORK, NY, May 21, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The recession has put countless families under increased financial strain, one of the leading causes of divorce. But instead of increasing divorce rates, the recession has had the opposite effect because many families can't afford to maintain two households. So, does this mean happier families? Not likely.

While more couples are choosing to stay together, couples who are divorced are battling over what little money is left, with child support payments delayed and bills going unpaid. It's a trend that is making effective parenting harder for some as tensions rise. Now, a new book is looking to alleviate some of the problems divorced parents face when trying to raise their kids.

Our Great Kids, written by Tara Amaral and Chris Frie, both divorced parents, includes tools for keeping track of important dates, medications and custody. It also includes a journal in which the children can write about their experiences so the parents don't miss out.

"Divorce will always ultimately affect the children," says Mr. Frie. "Even if the parents decide to stay together for financial reasons, there still needs to be a clear understanding that the children's lives are most important."

"It's a shame that the focus has been on the divorce rate instead of the health and well-being of the kids," says Ms. Amaral. "I encourage any parent who is either divorced or contemplating divorce to ensure that the level of parenting doesn't decline."

In their book, Mr. Frie and Ms. Amaral provide parents with tools that address some of the more difficult decisions divorced and separated parents need to make, including:
• Who has the kids and when?
• What are the important dates in a child's life and who will attend?
• What medications is a child taking and how can we ensure they take the right doses when going between two homes?
• Who are the important contacts for each child including doctors, teachers, etc.?

The authors have created the Web site www.OurGreatKids.com to go along with their new book. The site allows divorced parents to log into their child's account to communicate important dates, daily activities and special things that their child did. Parents can also exchange photos and receive e-mail alerts to remind them of scheduled activities.

(Our Great Kids by Tara Amaral and Chris Frie; ISBN: 978-0-9821091-0-6; $23.95; 104 pages; 8.5" x 11"; softcover; spiral bound; TML Publishing)

Source: Arbor Books
Website: http://arborbooks.com

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