Christine & Matt’s Challenges
For Christine, the weight of trying to be both a present mother and a dedicated professional was taking its toll. She found herself constantly torn between a demanding position which required her to be away from home two weeks each month, and her desire to provide stability for her children.
Matt faced similar struggles, as his consulting position had him commuting up to two hours each way to client sites across the Chicagoland area. Causing him to miss crucial moments in his children's daily lives, from school pickups to family dinners.
Maria and Connor meanwhile, were struggling academically and experiencing behavioral issues due to a lack of consistent parenting time. The lifestyle Christine and Matt were working so hard to provide was actually having a detrimental effect on their well-being.
The entire Walker family knew something was amiss but had no idea on where to even start to address it. That’s where we came in.
The wake-up call
The Walkers' story began like many successful couples - dual high-powered careers had brought them financial freedom, but at a cost they were only beginning to understand.
As their marriage approached its end, they faced a sobering reality: their lifestyle, built on unrestricted spending and minimal financial oversight, would soon collide with the economic pressures of maintaining two separate households.
During our initial sessions, both partners expressed a deep concern for their children's wellbeing. This shared priority became the cornerstone of our mediation process, leading us to conduct a thorough analysis of their marital lifestyle - an exercise that would prove transformative in their journey toward separation.
Uncovering financial realities
Our comprehensive financial review revealed patterns that startled even the Walkers themselves. Their demanding careers had led to convenience-based spending that, while manageable with combined incomes, had spiraled beyond sustainable levels.
The numbers told a striking story:
- $4,000 monthly on food delivery services
- $2,000 on children's activities
- $1,200 for therapy deductibles
- $1,600 for extended childcare
Totaling an annual expenditure of $105,600 in just these four categories alone.
Charting a sustainable path forward
When faced with projecting these expenses across two households, the financial picture became clearer still.
Our post-marital budget and income analysis calculations showed an annual deficit of $60,000 between both parties if they maintained their current spending habits.
This revelation sparked a crucial conversation about lifestyle adjustments and priorities – both financial as well as personal.
Reimagining parenting and professional life
Perhaps the most profound insight emerged from discussions about their children's needs.
Both parents recognized that their career-driven absenteeism had affected their family dynamics. Rather than viewing their divorce as an additional complication, they chose to see it as an opportunity to restructure their approach to both parenting and professional life.
Our solution? A parallel parenting plan.
The arrangement we developed established clear boundaries between parenting time and professional obligations, allowing each parent to be fully present during their designated family time while maintaining their career momentum during off-duty periods.
The parallel parenting agreement became more than just a schedule; it evolved into a comprehensive framework for their new life.
Each parent could now confidently commit to both work responsibilities and family time, knowing exactly when they were "on" and "off" duty.
The clarity we were able to provide eliminated the constant guilt and uncertainty that had characterized their previous arrangement, while providing their children with the focused attention they needed.
