Atlanta Divorce Law Group - October 2020

Atlanta Divorce Law Group - October 2020

CONSULTING WITH A LAWYER SHOULDN’T BE OVERWHELMING!

3 FEARS NEW CLIENTS HAVE AND HOWWE ADDRESS THEM

October 2020

If you look around this Halloween, odds are you won’t see many people dressed up as lawyers. Kids usually choose classic monsters like vampires, ghosts, and werewolves for their costumes. But ask an adult and I bet they’d tell you that lawyers are scary — or at least intimidating. This seems to be doubly true for divorce attorneys, probably because divorce itself can seem like a scary process. However, our team works hard to take those fears away and make getting to what we call a “happily ever after divorce” as easy as possible. Doing that means addressing some common fears, including the three below. FEAR NO. 1: CONSULTING WITH AN ATTORNEYWILL AUTOMATICALLY START THE DIVORCE PROCESS. This is a common concern, but it’s completely untrue in our office. When a new client comes to us, we always assume they haven’t made a decision yet about whether they’d like a divorce. Our job during the free consultation is to walk you through your options. We never spend our time trying to convince you to take one path or the other; we simply ask questions that will help you decide for yourself. By asking where you’d like to be in one year, five years, or 10, we can figure out what you need, whether it’s individual therapy, group therapy (which we offer for free), a conversation with your spouse to work things out, or a divorce. Emotionally, this is the biggest fear I see our clients wrestling with, and I’m sure it holds hundreds of people back from making that first phone call to a divorce attorney. Most people blame financial difficulties, time constraints, or their circumstances for their hesitation to reach out about a divorce, but this fear is often the real root of the problem. FEAR NO. 2: GETTING A DIVORCE MEANS BEING DISLOYAL TO MY FAMILY.

It’s understandable that considering divorce might feel like failing as a spouse, mother, father, or grandparent, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sometimes, seeking out the opinion of a divorce attorney can help save your marriage. Other times, it may result in a divorce, but one that will be better for your family in the long run. The latter is our mission with every case that does go forward to divorce proceedings. We believe that a divorce doesn’t have to be a process that leaves you feeling guilty or ashamed. Like a balanced diet can be a good change physically, a divorce can be a good change mentally. We do everything we can to make sure every client leaves our office with a clear conscience. FEAR NO. 3: SEEKING A DIVORCE ATTORNEY MEANS DIVING INTO THE UNKNOWN. If you’re not a lawyer yourself, the process of getting a divorce or even consulting an attorney can feel like stepping off a cliff. To counteract that fear, my team and I strive to be as transparent with our clients as possible. Before we set anything in motion, we’ll discuss your options and the process so you know exactly what to expect. If you’re getting this newsletter, you’ve likely already been brave enough to start the process of consulting us. However, you might have a family member or friend who is still letting fear and shame hold them back from doing what’s best for their future. If that sounds familiar, please pass this article on to them! We’d love to help them through the process of figuring out a plan and finding their happily ever after, whatever it might look like.

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“It’s understandable that considering divorce might feel like failing as a spouse, mother, father, or grandparent, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

–Sara Khaki

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A Look at Halloween in the Age of COVID-19 WILL TRICK-OR-TREATING BE SAFE THIS YEAR?

As Fox 5 Atlanta reported back in August, this year when Oct. 31 rolls around, “The scariest thing for some towns could be losing Halloween.” It’s hard to even think about the possibility that trick-or- treating, Halloween parties, and haunted houses might be canceled this year, but at this point in the pandemic, it’s worth considering. Disney World, Disneyland, and Universal Studios Hollywood all canceled their annual Halloween parties over the summer, but a survey by The Harris Poll shows that most families are still committed to celebrating. The survey found that 74% of millennial moms and young parents feel Halloween is more important than ever this year, and 80% of the general public can’t imagine the holiday without trick-or-treating. Experts like infectious disease specialist Dr. Sandra Kesh advise against trick-or-treating in areas with “ongoing community spread” or where there are still COVID-19 movement restrictions in place.

That said, trick-or-treating is less risky than indoor activities like haunted houses or parties.

trick-or-treating altogether. Instead, try getting in the Halloween spirit with a spooky movie marathon (TownAndCountryMag.com has a great list of flicks), a Halloween treat bake-off (check FoodNetwork.com for recipes), or bedroom-to- bedroom trick-or-treating for the little ones.

“In areas where the community prevalence is lower, I think it’s okay to plan to trick-or-treat, but it’s going to be a different experience than it was last year,” Kesh told Good Housekeeping. If you plan to go trick-or-treating, Kesh suggests keeping your group limited to three or four kids who have mastered social distancing. It’s also smart to keep away from other people as much as possible, wear a mask, sanitize your hands regularly, and avoid touching surfaces like doors. Kesh says there’s no need to sanitize your candy, but you might want to scrub down your own door knob and doorbell when the night’s over. While you’re out, prepare to see a lot more candy bowls, as those at high risk are unlikely to answer their doorbells this year.

If you or someone in your family is at high risk of catching COVID-19, you may want to avoid

THE BEST HALLOWEEN MOVIES ON DISNEY+

Pop some popcorn and break out the candy corn because it’s time for a spooky family movie night! Disney+ offers a treasure trove of Halloween movies with just the right amount of tricks and treats. Here are a few of the best Halloween movies you can watch on Disney+ right now. ‘HALLOWEENTOWN’ When 13-year-old Marnie and her siblings follow their grandmother home on Halloween night, they make some surprising discoveries. Not only does their grandmother live in Halloweentown, a place where monsters lead normal lives, but their whole family is secretly a bunch of witches! Marnie must learn to rely on the magic of family in order to save her grandmother and all of Halloweentown. If your family enjoys “Halloweentown,” you’ll be glad to know that all three of its sequels are also on Disney+! ‘FRANKENWEENIE’ This movie is a charming twist on the classic horror story! When a young boy loses his faithful dog, he uses the power of mad science to bring the pooch back to life. What follows is a strange and heartwarming stop-motion adventure about the love between a boy and his dog. Some scenes may be a little intense for young children, but “Frankenweenie” never becomes too scary for kids to enjoy. ‘HOCUS POCUS’ Max and his family have just moved from California to Salem, Massachusetts, when Max accidentally resurrects three evil witches. To save his little sister, Max must team up with his new crush and a talking cat to stop the witches’ reign of terror. “Hocus Pocus” does contain some truly frightening scenes, so it may not be appropriate for young children. However, the way this film balances comedy and humor makes it a perfect Halloween thrill for older kids. These are just a few of the creepy and cool Halloween movies streaming on Disney+. When you’re done with these, scroll through the catalog to find some more new favorites. Happy Halloween!

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5 STEPS TO A SAFER HOTEL ROOM KEEP STRANGERS AND VIRUSES OUT WITH THESE QUICK TIPS

Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and your family from illness, but sometimes life gets in the way. Maybe you need to travel for work, to help a relative, or just to keep your kids from bouncing off the walls. If you have a hotel stay on the books, worrying about safety is understandable. But by taking these precautions, you can protect your loved ones and increase your odds of coming home healthy. 1. Bring a sanitation kit and use it! Most hotels are going above and beyond to sanitize their rooms these days, but it never hurts to take extra care. Before you check in, pick up cleaning supplies like disinfectant spray, wipes, plastic bags, and gloves. Then, use them to wipe down your room. Focus on big surfaces as well as features like faucet handles, doorknobs, lightswitches, and microwave buttons. 2. Skip the decorative linens. Many hotels don’t wash decorative bedding like comforters and fancy pillowcases. To be extra safe, strip these off the bed and wash your hands afterward. If you’re chilly, opt for the hotel’s spare blanket (it’s probably hiding in a closet) or bring one from home. 3. Quarantine your remote control. As USA Today puts it, “It’s common knowledge that one of the germiest items in a hotel room is the remote control.” To avoid the ick, pick up the remote while wearing gloves and drop it into a Ziploc. Then, remove your gloves and seal the bag. Now you

can use the remote without touching it directly!

4. Invest in a rubber door

wedge. Viruses aren’t the only risk in hotel rooms — break-ins are another concern. To keep your room secure, bring a rubber door wedge. They cost less than $10 on Amazon and make kicking in a door much more difficult.

5. For maximum security,

bring a door alarm. Simple travel alarms hang from the

handle of a door and have two prongs that slide between the door and its frame. When the door opens and the prongs separate, that triggers the alarm. These simple devices send thieves running, and Lewis N. Clark makes a model for just $14.99.

Hopefully, these tips give you some peace of mind on your next trip. Happy trails!

Concierge Partner’s Corner

HERE’S WHAT OUR Clients Are Saying!

Are you working from home with a less- than-ideal desk setup? If you’ve spent the last six months hunched over your laptop on the couch, or sitting in a kitchen chair for eight hours a day, you’re probably starting to feel the aches and pains of that awkward position. Luckily, Dr. David Adler can help. Dr. Adler runs Adler Family Chiropractic in Roswell, where he and his team specialize in helping people in pain recover from sports injuries, car accidents, surgery, and lifestyle changes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re available to diagnose any discomfort, including neck and shoulder pain, lower back pain, and even headaches.

“Sara and her team at Atlanta Divorce Law Group are absolutely amazing. They did whatever they could to make my divorce process as smooth as possible, and they helped me a lot with the difficult transition. Every single person at this office is professional, kind, caring, knowledgeable, efficient, and compassionate. I highly recommend this law firm.” — Sara R. “Getting divorced is really hard. However, they know how to make it fun, easy, and affordable. My big thanks goes to Sara, Ashley, Whitney, and Andrea!”” — Negar F.

For the last three decades, Dr. Adler has been putting together personalized treatment plans for his patients. His goal is to promote both physical and mental well-being, and his work is so renowned that he now helps train future doctors through Life University College of Chiropractic. As a family chiropractor, Dr. Adler even specializes in pregnancy and prenatal care, so you can truly get help for your whole family. To learn more, visit AdlerChiro.com today.

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SPOOKY CITY REGULATIONS

HALLOWEEN LAWS ACROSS THE U.S.

Halloween can be a mischievous holiday. The most innocent of us reserve it for backyard parties and trick-or-treating, but some like to get a little rowdier than others. That’s exactly why various city councils across the U.S. have passed some seemingly unusual laws to regulate spooky festivities. REHOBOTH BEACH, DELAWARE: NO SUNDAY TRICK-OR-TREATING If Halloween falls on a Sunday, children in Rehoboth Beach are required to trick-or-treat the night before. The explanation in the city code is simple, but ambiguous: to prevent children and their guardians from going door to door on Sunday evenings. Rehoboth Beach law also forbids children from roaming the streets on Halloween “with the intent to cause trouble,” but what exactly that means is ambiguous as well. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA: NO SILLY STRING The Los Angeles City Council has banned Silly String and all other brands of aerosol string from use on Halloween in the Hollywood area. From midnight on Oct. 31 until noon on Nov. 1, no one is allowed to spray, sell, or distribute Silly String in public locations. Use of Silly String got so popular in the city on Halloween that the mess left behind

became a strain on sanitation workers, and the city sympathized with them.

The law doesn’t specify any exceptions, so residents are left to assume that everyone from age 5 to 100 must abide. Whatever your Halloween celebrations might look like this year, it’s important to have fun, but remember to abide by any rules or laws your city might have in place in an effort to keep its citizens safe.

BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS: NO 8TH GRADERS Trick-or-treating is most often viewed as an activity reserved for younger generations, but how do you determine what age is “too old” for this type of generally good-natured fun? Well, the city of Belleville settled the ambiguity by passing a law

restricting teenagers who are past the eighth grade — generally older than 13 — from going door to door on Halloween. WALNUT, CALIFORNIA: NO MASKS WITHOUT PERMITS In a simpler time, there was no paperwork required to celebrate Halloween to the fullest. But in the city of Walnut, no one can wear a mask or other disguise on public streets without a permit from the sheriff.

OUR FAMILY IS GROWING! Meet the Newest Little Members of the ADLG Family

To say this summer has been exciting for our team would be a definite understatement. Not only did we pull together to weather the COVID-19 pandemic and learn new things in the process, but we also welcomed two new babies into our firm family!

George Alexander Farmer

Team members Sara and Kate both gave birth to little ones a few months ago, and we’re thrilled to finally share their adorable faces with you. Hopefully, you find them just as cute as we do! Next time you stop by our office or call for a case update, be sure to congratulate the new moms on their bundles of joy.

Amir Hisham Khaki

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