January 21, 2004

I find myself in the middle of a divorce that I did not want. For two years I have been trying to make a marriage work that just wasn't going to work. Please keep in mind that my ex-wife tried for alot more years before that and due to my lack on foresight, it was simply too late. I have come to realize that I valued that relationship more than I had ever given credit before but as the old saying goes "You don't know what you have until it's gone....". Unfortunately there is little I can do now.

In any event, during the divorce process in Pennsylvania both parties are required to goto a class entitled "Children First". This class is overseen and managed by the Clearfield County Legal & Social Services group. The purpose of the class is to educate parents, grandparents, friends, and other family members in regard to how children deal with divorce and death (http://www.transparenting.com). I felt the class was extremely useful to me and should be most helpful to virtually anyone who attends. I wasn't upset with having to attend (although it is my understanding that many parents disapprove of being required to attend.) and the instructor / counselor was a younger woman with a career history in counseling and family services. While the class was just under 3 hours it wasn't difficult to get through.

I suppose that my only observation would be the following:

The state of Pennsylvania requires this class in order for the "Divorce Decree" to be issued.

If the class isn't attended then the absent parent can be held in "Contempt of Court".

Now the quirk about all of this is even though the state requires one to attend this class, the parent's attending the class must pay the $40.00 fee to attend, the parent's must provide their own transportation, and there are no type of concessions available (drinks, snacks, etc.).

It seems to me that $40.00 could be better served than simply a 3 hour block of instruction and a small handbook......

I would recommend the class to anyone with children and this was meant as nothing more than to atest that I attended the class.

Until tomorrow.....