The holidays are still somewhat stressful and anxiety provoking for my brothers and me because of figuring out what holiday will be spent with whom and how not to hurt our parents' feelings. This year, I decided to do something different.

I made my case to our therapist and my then-wife, "We've lived as roommates for a while now, we can do another two months so our kids can reach the summer before we throw their entire world into this."

Divorce and what leads up to it are not tidy and polite affairs. The children who bear witness to the demise of their parents' marriage inevitably get wounded -- some very deeply and invisibly at first.

Winter holidays are among the most important to celebrate and with them come the greatest potential for emotional meltdown. Everyone wants their fair share of this hallowed time with the kids and others who are important.

As adults who were children of divorce know, healing does not occur through time alone.

He assumed it wouldn't make a difference now that I'm an adult.