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Family Travel Bucket List Destinations – Island Getaways

 Island Getaways that will please both children and parents. Guest author shares his tips and experiences for where to go on holiday. Something I’ve spoken about before is the benefit of travel. By the time I was 25 I’d visited around 40 countries. This may seem a lot but considering there are upwards of 200 and the fact that I’ve met plenty of people who´ve surpassed 100 puts this figure in perspective. Of course travel shouldn’t be about quantity of places or ticking names off a list, quality of experience is much more valuable. I merely highlighted my relative travel experience to give some context in regards to my view point and hopefully some credence too! I first left the UK when I was three. All I remember of Italy was a beautiful but stony beach; however that doesn’t mean to say there was no benefit in this experience. Being introduced to other cultures and countries at a young age definitely left an impression on me, it fed my longing for adventure as a young child. This developed in to wanderlust at a later age and has most certainly helped define who I am as an adult. The thing about travel is that no matter what your or your children’s fascinations are there is something for everyone. History, engineering, farming, art, culture, music, trekking, adventure, sports, relaxation and well-being, wildlife, science, food, architecture, religion and geography are all topics you can indulge in and learn about all over the world. I previously emphasized the value of the precious family time and togetherness that a vacation provides, whilst simultaneously helping you de-stress and your children learn and grow. Now I’d like to give some more practicable and specific information pertaining to different destinations. Once you become responsible for children of your own…

Can A Reverse Mortgage Benefit A Divorce Settlement?

Divorce shouldn’t mean your life is over, but rather a new beginning to living life according to your rules. “Grey divorce” is becoming quite common as nearly one in ten marriages ends after being together for more than 40 years, according to Pew Research. As for the causes, this has been happening for various reasons – one of which is due to retirement. Elderly couples are looking to make their golden years enjoyable, even if life was either too busy or stressful in the past. So, can a reverse mortgage benefit a divorce settlement? Dividing the Assets Seniors often have many assets that are shared and nearly impossible to split. During negotiations, a family home is often one of the most sought-after assets as they are usually paid off and hold a lot of equity. That is why divorcees over the age of 63 are looking to compromise on a divorce settlement and help settle their assets with the help of a reverse mortgage. One of the benefits of a reverse mortgage is how it allows one partner to continue living in the home without paying for a mortgage nor have access to equity funds. Splitting the Benefits of Homeownership During the divorce settlement, splitting the home asset is usually the first decision to make. Instead of selling the home entirely, spouses could choose who can stay in the home and keep the reverse mortgage while the other party receives the equity funds. This useful tool helps couples reach an agreement without further complications. However, it is important to understand that the spouse who continues to stay in the home will be held responsible for certain obligations such as homeowners insurance and property taxes. Provide Less Drastic Financial Changes Perhaps the couple is used to living off two solid incomes – whether it be from owning a…

Creative Child Care Solutions As A Single Parent

It can be challenging juggling childcare as a single parent. The key is to have Plan B. Seems children get sick when a parent has a mandatory meeting or work project.   Enlist people ahead of time to be available in case of an emergency. Several parents I know have used up all of their stick leave on ill babies and toddlers. They learned the hard way to have someone on speed dial for that eventuality. Talk to a neighbour to see if they are able to be a last-minute fill in if your little one needs to come home from school. Possibly a friend who works from home can plug a childcare gap when you have to be on the job. You can reciprocate the favour another time. If you have your own office it may be feasible to bring along an older child who is recovering. Pack books, art supplies and snacks. My insurance agent allows his secretary to have her son there after school every day while she does her tasks She has her boy go into the waiting area when a client needs to speak to her. Maybe you can make arrangements to work at home if your child has a stomach bug. Several offices permit older kids to take over the conference room during a bank holiday or short break. This helps the organizations to keep their employees on the job. Some hospitals and companies have nurseries, like the one I attended where my mother was a nurse. Ask co-workers how they are handling their childcare needs. If you are able to negotiate with your co-parent, perhaps you can split up school holidays. Then neither one of you has to find childcare for the entire period. Some divorced people remain on good terms with former in-laws…

Marriage & Divorce Globally- A Statistical Comparison

Divorce There’s nothing wrong with divorce and it shouldn’t be seen as a dirty word. The fact that it conflicts with various world religions’ teachings and traditions was a reason for prejudice surrounding divorce in the past. Thankfully in progressive society, although it is something never to be taken lightly and family values are still at the forefront in the world of parenting, divorce is an accepted option. No one deserves to be trapped in an unhappy marriage that may be affecting their children negatively as well. Data from 2014 divulges divorce rates (divorce to marriage ratio) by country in an interesting and easily interpreted diagram here. What we can gather from this data is that the traditional view of religion or conservative religious belief holding marriages together and affecting divorce rates doesn’t always ring true. Chile is a religious country and consequently does have a very low divorce rate. However a predominantly Catholic country like Spain actually appears to have a much higher rate of divorce than the relatively secular Scandinavian counties. How divorce is perceived internationally is often dependent on a country’s societal and cultural attitudes not just religion. The research does have its limitations with information missing for various countries. Further studies have shown that within the US the Bible belt doesn’t necessarily have lower rates of divorce in comparison with the rest of the country. Although the south-central and south eastern states have long been associated with the promotion of conservative views both politically and socially, the data suggests that divorce rates don’t correlate with the higher rates of religion in these areas. Marriage Findings amongst OECD countries show that the number of marriages in recent years is declining. This runs concurrently with the average age of people when they decide to marry increasing. In some…

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