Separated parents often have different opinions about what is “best” for the child. Parents that fail to consider the thoughts and feelings of the child usually end up treating the child like property. This is most often accomplished when a parent withholds the child from the other parent to use the child as leverage in… Continue reading Withholding Access as a Control Tactic
Category: Parenting
Uninvolved Parents
You can’t force someone to be a parent. It does not matter how much effort you put into facilitating the other parents time or how much effort you put into “making it easy” for the other parent to be involved. In order for the other parent to succeed, they must be willing to put in… Continue reading Uninvolved Parents
Parental Alienation
What do I if I suspect my children are being alienated against me? Parental alienation is when one parent attempts to turn the child against the other parent. Parental alienation involves a series of deliberate steps aimed at sabotaging the child’s relationship with the other parent. This can be accomplished by speaking negatively about the… Continue reading Parental Alienation
Children’s Possessions
Should a childs possessions be allowed to travel between both parents households? At the breakdown of a relationship, parents establish their own households separate and apart from their former spouse. The children then travel between both households to spend time with each parent. Sometimes parents are unable to agree on whether or not the child… Continue reading Children’s Possessions
Children’s Cellphones
A child’s cellphone often gives parents something to fight about. Parents often disagree on who should pay the bill, who should pay to replace the phone if it is lost, stolen or broken, when the child should have access to the device, how much time the child should be allowed to spend on the device,… Continue reading Children’s Cellphones
Relocation Disputes
What happens when one parent wants to move with the children and the other parent does not agree? Relocation disputes arise when one parent wants to move and the other parent does not want the children to move to that location. The parent disputing the move may request that the children remain in their primary… Continue reading Relocation Disputes
Subpar Parenting
When parents are unable to work together to make a child-orientated decision, they often end up in family court fighting over routine parenting decisions instead of actual legal issues. Judges have the ability to dictate parenting schedules, divide decision-making responsibilities and make any other decisions as they deem fit. Unfortunately, a court order cannot force… Continue reading Subpar Parenting
Child Support – Ending or Extending Payments
When do your child support payments end? If you are a payor of child support, you might be looking forward to the day that your child support obligation ends. Frustration with the monthly payments is not necessarily a reflection of you as a parent. You can love your child but hate paying child support. You might… Continue reading Child Support – Ending or Extending Payments
Child Support – The Basics
It is in the child’s best interest to be financially supported by both parents. The parent with primary or day-to-day care of the child generally receives child support from the other parent. If the parent’s have more than one child, then child support is paid for each child. The amount paid is determined by the… Continue reading Child Support – The Basics
Drafting Parenting Orders – Christmas Edition
Drafting Parenting Orders – Christmas Edition It is important to have a clearly worded court order specifying your regular parenting time and shared holidays. In high conflict situations, it is extremely important to use precise wording that will not leave any room for interpretation. A poorly worded order can lead to unnecessary conflict between parents.… Continue reading Drafting Parenting Orders – Christmas Edition