DC and MD Matrimonial Lawyer Focusing on Custody, Divorce and Prenups
For over 20 years, Regina A. DeMeo has been helping families in MD and DC with custody and divorce issues either through mediation, litigation or advocacy. She is an alumna of Georgetown University and GW University Law School, who is nationally recognized as a top matrimonial attorney. She is frequently quoted in the media for her ideas to promote healthier relationships and featured in the Washington Post, ABA Journal and Bethesda Magazine for her care and commitment to her clients. As a legal commentator, she has appeared on Washington Post Express Facebook Live, ABC tv, Good Morning America, MMCTV, YouTube and Sirius XM, and has been quoted in various magazines, books and journals across the country.
Regina offers appointments in Maryland and DC. Her areas of practice include:
Latest Blog Posts by GenXSmartie
The Biggest Challenge for Modern Couples
Traditionally, men were primarily responsible for being good providers for their families, and women were tasked with everything else-- taking care of the kids, maintaining the home, and keeping family and friends connected. In the last 40 years, however, this traditional approach has become quite unsustainable for most American families. Women want intellectual stimulation and economic independance just as much as their male counterparts, and getting married is no longer a necessity but rather a voluntary choice that many will only exercise when a truly special person comes along.The modern couple with two equally well-educated people that have similar earning capacities have to negotiate everything-- who will do the cooking, laundry, get groceries, take the kids to their doctor's appointments, soccer practice, etc. (assuming all these things are not delegated out to nannies). Men who grew up with fathers that only had to focus on work are in for a bit of a shock these days as their partners now expect them to multi-task--a skill that has been passed on for generations in women, but is a rather new requirement for a lot of their male counterparts. This problem is then compounded by the fact that many women, who grew up with moms that ruled the house, fail to communicate their dissapointment and frustration in a manner that inspires a [...]
Managing Long Distance Relationships
Long distance relationships are becoming much more common these days, and they have become much easier to manage with modern technology. Back in the early 90's while I was living in DC but dating someone in New York, we did not have cell phones, email, text messaging, Facebook, or any of the other modern forms of communication that so many of us now take for granted. It was not easy, but we managed to talk regularly, write letters and at least once a month one of us would make the trip north or south to see the other. We looked forward to those weekends together, and the rest of the time, we focused on what we needed to do for work, school, etc. This went on for about two years, until it was time for one of us to either make a move or part ways. At the time, we were totally in love, and parting ways was not an option, so instead we got engaged and managed to stay together for 12 years. Ultimately, it did not work out, but at least we gave it a shot. The biggest risk with long-distance relationships is that it can be very difficult to gauge what a person is really like-- when you don't see someone all the time in their daily [...]
Is Monogamy Dying Out?
A lot of people ask me whether I think monogamy is dying out, and honestly, I never think it will. It is in our nature to get attached to people, and when we find someone special, we really don't want to share that person with anyone else-- we want to claim that person as our partner and be able to count on him/her respecting a mutual agreement to be in a sexually exclusive relationship. This is normal, and healthy for building trust and intimacy. The problem kicks in when all is not right in the Garden of Eden. Many people marry very young (the national average for women is about 26), before they truly know themselves, have established career paths, and have come to terms with their true wants and needs in a partner. By the time these things become a lot clearer, usually in someone's 30's or 40's, many are finding that his/her partner is not the best match. Some are courageous enough to try and work on communicating effectively with his/her significant other, and will make an effort in implementing changes that can improve the relationship; but others will not, and instead they will seek an escape from the situation, which often begins with a seemingly benign "emotional connection" to someone else and then turns into much more [...]
Fear of Change
In the past week, several have brought to my attention this common problem among many-- a fear of change. So many take comfort in what they know, that which is familiar, and so even if it is not ideal, they would prefer to stay within their comfort zone than to venture out into the unknown. But sadly, life is full of change, and those that cannot adapt will be at a severe disadvantage.A wise, older woman was telling me that too many people try to shield their children from changes, but in her opinion children should be exposed to changes (obviously within reason) so that they understand and learn that changes are normal and necessary sometimes to get to a better place. I could not agree with her more-- as much as I believe children need stability and consistency in their lives, I also believe they need to experience the world around them.Throughout the years, I have found the most interesting individuals (and usually the best story tellers) are always the ones that are willing to seek adventure- they travel, try new restaurants, have jobs with varying assignments and are always meeting new people. To be fun for others, and enjoy life in the process, requires us to break out of our regular routines, overcome whatever hang-ups are holding us [...]