Divorced parents face emotional, financial, and practical challenges in addition to the superhuman responsibilities of parenting. There’s no easy way to survive this process, but resources can help you cope. An excellent place to start is with the advice of someone who experienced similar challenges. Author Deborah Hansen, herself a divorced Mom, walks readers through the challenges of post-breakup parenting in Broken Strings: Wisdom for Divorced and Separated Families.

When it comes to single or shared parenting after divorce, consider Broken Strings your friend, support group, and how-to manual. With compassion and astounding efficiency, Hansen addresses potential pitfalls in bite-sized chapters so that even the busiest parent can benefit from her wisdom.

In twenty short chapters, Hansen covers topics including: the challenges of solo parenting; knowing your limits; relationships with ex-spouses and step-parents; manipulation; getting help from others; holidays; and caring for your own health. From your child’s needs to your own, this book tackles the significant social, financial, and emotional issues that divorced families can expect to encounter. In addition to outlining the topics likely to cause parents to stumble, Hansen shares the tools that helped her regain her balance.

Like Hansen’s advice, the format of the book is succinct and practical. Single parents have little time for reading, so chapters are limited to two or three pages each. In just minutes, parents can absorb the information and put it into practice. Hansen gets straight to the point, but keeps the material lively with an encouraging tone and inspirational quotations.

Other self-help books can’t match Hansen’s personal insight into the emotional and practical needs of divorced and separated parents. Hansen knows what it’s like to balance the needs of her child with her own process of recovery during and after divorce. Like a good support group, she shows empathy and compassion while offering supportive advice and hope for the future.

Broken Strings is one of those books that I’ll buy again and again because I will keep giving my copy to friends. Even though I don’t have children, this book placed me in a better position to support friends and clients who struggle with these issues. And some of Hansen’s relationship insights apply beyond the realm of divorce and single parenting.

I consider Broken Strings a must-read for parents, teachers, mediators, and friends of single parents. This book is an essential resource for anyone who aims to understand, survive, and thrive after separation or divorce.

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