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Before you file: 5 documents every dad needs
A 12-page checklist from a dad who's been there. What to gather, why it matters, and what to do next — before you tell your spouse, before you talk to a lawyer.
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For general educational use only · Not legal, financial, tax, or mental-health advice · Consult a licensed professional in your jurisdiction.
The Imprint
What Steady Dad Press publishes
The book plus twelve core field manuals, organized by where you are in the process. Built to get you organized, informed, and prepared — not to replace your attorney.
Featured · The complete collection
The Steady Dad Complete Vault
The book plus all twelve core field manuals — the complete Steady Dad Press library. Includes the Bonus Shelf, where future drops and add-ons land for Complete Vault owners.
Everything Steady Dad Press has published, in one purchase.
The Pre-Filing Document Vault
A 60+ item checklist of every document to gather before divorce papers are filed. Stop scrambling. Start prepared.
Attorney Interview Scorecard
30+ questions plus a scoring grid to vet divorce attorneys before you hire. Don't waste $5K finding out they're wrong.
Divorce Financial Reset Workbook
Worksheets for your divorce budget, debt map, and asset inventory. Get clear on the numbers before negotiation starts.
50 BIFF Scripts for the Toxic Ex
50 pre-written BIFF message templates for high-conflict co-parenting. Brief. Informative. Friendly. Firm.
Father's Custody Case Builder
Documentation framework for involved dads. Parenting time logs, involvement records, and case-building worksheets.
Court Day Preparation Kit
What to wear, bring, and how to behave in family court. A courtroom checklist. Don't walk in unprepared.
The Journal
Read before you file.
Longer-form articles written the way a friend who's been through this would explain it — no billable hours, no fluff. Start here.
Court · 4 min read
What Happens at a Divorce Mediation (And How to Not Get Steamrolled)
Most divorces settle in mediation, not trial. If you walk into that room unprepared, you sign an agreement you'll regret for years. Here is the shape of a mediation session and how to hold your ground.
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Money · 4 min read
A Dad's Post-Divorce Budget: The First 90 Days
The first 90 days after the divorce is final is where dads either rebuild their finances or dig deeper into a hole. Here is the shape of a budget that survives the transition.
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Attorneys · 4 min read
Do I Need a Divorce Lawyer, or Can I File Pro Se? (The Honest Answer for Dads)
Not every divorce needs a $10,000 attorney. But not every divorce should be filed pro se either. Here is the honest framework for deciding which side of the line your case is on.
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Kids · 4 min read
How to Explain Divorce to Your Kids by Age (What to Say and What to Skip)
The talk you're dreading is not one conversation — it's a version of the same message repeated in age-appropriate language. Here is the shape of that message for each stage of childhood.
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High-conflict communication · 4 min read
Co-Parenting Communication Rules That Hold Up in Court
Every text you send your ex is either an exhibit for you or against you. Here is the framework for building a communication record that reads well from the bench.
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Custody · 4 min read
How to Request a Custody Modification (When and How to File)
A custody order is not permanent — but courts don't reopen them easily. Here is the shape of when a modification is possible, what evidence moves a judge, and the mistakes that get petitions denied.
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“Most men walk into a divorce already behind — not because they're weak, but because nobody handed them the manual. So we wrote it. Twelve of them.”
— Steady Dad Press
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