Recent family related news included a look at: South Asian weddings; divorce celebrations in China; and an awakening among couples regarding a “better way to split.” Also in the news a family lawyer discussed litigating with a narcissist and a school project, that helps children reduce their anxiety by boosting their confidence, has been gaining popularity.
Camilo Ortiz and Lenore Skenazy, The New York Times, September 4, 2023 The “Let Grow Project” is a homework assignment that schools can give to students so they can learn to tackle more things on their own. The instructions tell kids to go home and ask their parents if they can do something new by themselves (or with a friend), like walk the dog, run an errand, make the family breakfast — just something they feel ready to do but haven’t done yet. Teachers and parents have shared that kids’ confidence starts climbing when they participate in this project.
Gina Cherelus, The New York Times, September 25, 2023
According to Alex Kapp, a divorce manager in Los Angeles, taking the high road with a collaborative divorce pays off in the long run. “My thing that I say to clients all the time is: How do you want to look back on this, at the end of it, when you’re divorced and all of a sudden you’ve moved into this new phase in life?” Ms. Kapp said. “How do you want to look back on your behavior, and how do you want your kids to look back on your behavior?” “It’s not joyful,” she added, “but it certainly can be civil and reasoned.”
Chi Hui Lin in Taipei, The Guardian, 1 October 2023
The divorce rate in China has risen from 0.96% in 2000 to 3.10% in 2020. At the same time the marriage rate has plummeted from 6.7% in 2000 to 5.8% As the divorce rate in China rises, attitudes to separations are changing, with young women now throwing parties to mark the end of married life. Yaya Chen, a researcher at the Shanghai Academy of Social Science and a gender equality activist, said the public celebrations are a demonstration of the changing attitudes in China. “Society as a whole has become more accepting of divorce, which is partly related to the increase in the number of single, non-married women and the awakening of women’s awareness of gender equality,” she said.
Priya Krishna, The New York Times, October 5, 2023
Many young South Asian Americans — especially those who grew up in the United States or choose to marry someone of a non-South Asian background — have been planning weddings that represent their dual identities. South Asian weddings have become a culture unto themselves. While they vary by factors like region and religion, these events can conjure up images of highly embellished outfits, endless buffets, lengthy ceremonies and extensive guest lists that climb into the thousands.
Patricia Fersch, Forbes, October 17, 2023
The DSM-5-TR lists narcissism under Personality Disorders as “a pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy.” Parents involved in litigation against a narcissistic spouse, ex-spouse or partner often fear that narcissist will charm the judge, lawyers, other witnesses and that the narcissist will ultimately prevail at trial. The author states that the opposite is often true, while a party’s narcissistic traits make them a nightmare to co-parent with, those same narcissistic traits are laid bare in the courtroom for all to see, inspect and observe.