There are topics that one represses. Not out of indifference, but because they feel like one would be conjuring up something bad if one were to speak of them.
Custody is one such issue. This is child support. And shared custody arrangements. And what happens when a mother suddenly finds herself alone at home after years of being with her mother?
Most mothers don’t know the answers to these questions. Not because they don’t think about them—but because the information simply isn’t available anywhere. Not in prenatal classes. Not at the pediatrician’s office. Not among friends who know just as little.
Not knowing what you are entitled to as a mother is like dancing without music — you move, but you don’t know where you’re going.
That’s what Susanne Helweg said. She’s a family law attorney—and for some time now, she’s been an expert in the Kangaroo Mama Club. This sentence pretty much sums up why we invited her.
What Susanne does — and why that makes a difference
Susanne advises women and mothers in separation situations: custody, alimony, division of assets, shared custody arrangements. That sounds like crisis management. And yes, she also supports women when things are really getting heated.
But what’s interesting about her is something else.
Susanne is convinced that ignorance is not a neutral position. Those who don’t know their rights silently give up—in negotiations, in conversations, in moments when it matters most. This applies to breakups. And it applies to everything that precedes them.
A mother who knows what shared custody actually means can make an informed decision. A mother who understands how child support is calculated negotiates differently. A mother who knows her legal rights after taking a career break for a child feels differently—even if her marriage is intact.
This is not a call for skepticism. It’s a call for clarity.
What mothers really ask
In our club, Susanne answered some of the questions that concern mothers — and which you can so rarely ask anywhere without immediately being considered pessimistic:
Am I entitled to maintenance if I don’t work because of the child — and for how long?
What does joint custody mean in everyday life when you can no longer agree?
Shared parenting model — who decides this, and what happens if one parent doesn’t want it?
What happens to my pension if I’ve been at home for years?
None of these questions are dramatic. They are all legitimate. And most of the women who ask them have a stable family.
Why she fits in with the club
The Kangaroo Mama Club is a place for mothers who want to go through life informed — in body, in mind, legally, emotionally.
Susanne fits in because she doesn’t instill fear. She provides guidance. She explains what the law says, what it means, and what a woman can do in a specific situation.
Sometimes the most valuable thing you can do is simply know how things stand
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Susanne Helweg is an expert in the Kangaroo Mama Club . And for those who want to know what Kangaroo Salsa is— here are the courses for mothers and babies.
Susanne Helweg
Specialist lawyer for family law. She advises women and mothers on matters relating to estate planning and separation, including issues such as custody, alimony, and division of assets. Expert member of the Kangaroo Mama Club.
