In this day and age, we are all too familiar with the term nepo baby, referring to the children of
wealthy and famous parents. These children are the people most of us wish to be, immersed in
life with countless opportunists and an abundance of options. However, now, we are also seeing
an emergence of a new class of nepo babies: “nope babies”. This term, coined by this article by
The Guardian, refers to children of wealthy and famous parents who publicly disconnect
themselves from their family name and remove themselves from the shadow of their parents.
These nope babies, such as Vivian Jenna Wilson, daughter of Elon Musk, Elle King, daughter of
Rob Schneider, and Claudia Conway, daughter of Kellyanne Conway, have come out and
publicly stated that they do not agree with the words or actions of their parents, and have
removed themselves from their image.

Something that stands out about these nepo babies, is that, of all mentioned in the article, 90%
come from divorced families. Some have decided to make a public stand against their parents
and families before the divorce, and others after, but it still goes to show how a divorce can truly
impact a child and the relationship that they have with their families.
From what we can tell about these families’ divorces, it is clear that the parents chose the option
of traditional divorce, where papers were filed and settlements were debated. From what we
know about divorce culture and the effects it has on children, we can understand that this is
hardly ever in everyone’s best interest. This form of divorce causes the central aspect to be
fighting and unnecessary debating, typically without trying to find the best solution for all parties
involved.

This is where Collaborative Divorce can make a positive change in the lives of families in the
aftermath of a divorce or separation. With collaborative divorce, the family and the children are
put first and foremost. This type of divorce involves mediation rather than litigation, which
allows for the parties to work together and come to decisions that will benefit themselves and
their children, while also keeping them away from the combative nature of traditional divorce.
Children often have a hard time during the process of a divorce, and an even harder time after.
Their perceptions of everything change, and their relationships, both current and future, tend to
suffer as a result. It is a big change for these children, at any age of their life. Through these nope
babies we can see how the relationships with their families can be affected and how they can turn
their backs on each other in the face of the public.

As it can be understood that these nepo babies come from families that went through a divorce
via litigation, it pushes the question of how things could be different if mediation and
collaboration were involved. At ANR Law, collaboration and mediation are the answer. It is how
these life changes are handled, and it allows these families to reach a decision in which all agree
and can benefit from. These methods of collaborative divorce are used to suit everyone, and to
keep the children from being faced with this resentment, so they do not have to carry any extra
burden. It is the most peaceful solution, allowing everyone to walk away with decisions made by
each person, and for each person. If collaborative divorce was introduced to the families of these
nope babies, and they were invited to choose a better option, things could be different.
If you are interested in learning more about your options when it comes to a healthy divorce, and
how to proceed with out-of-court processes like Collaborative Law. AN|R Law is here, and we
are proud to serve North Carolina. We have four locations in Raleigh, Greenville, Beaufort, and
Wilmington. Our legal team is committed to helping North Carolina families in a healthy manner
that protects their finances as well as the wellbeing of themselves and their children. If you
would like to connect, you can follow the AN|R social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram,
and LinkedIn. You can also check out my book, The Cure for Divorce Culture, and listen to my
podcast, Divorce, Healthy! which is available on all major listening platforms.

You can learn more about working with AN|R Law: A Negotiated Resolution for collaborative
divorce and other family law matters in North Carolina by reaching out to our office. You can
call 252-702-4376 or fill out this online contact form.

If you are interested in inviting me, Ashley-Nicole Russell, to speak at your next event or
conference, I would be honored. I am currently booking in-person and virtual speaking
engagements for 2024 and 2025. Please reach out to my team by emailing media@anrlaw.com.

Sources
Ashley-Nicole Russell, Esq., The Cure for Divorce Culture: Repairing the Damage Within a Lost
Class of People (2d ed. 2019).
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/article/2024/sep/04/nepo-to-nope-baby?CMP=oth_b-aplne
ws_d-1
https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/elon-musks-daughter-responds-470408