“You’re Grounded!” How to Collaborate in Punishing Your Children
Posted December 19th, 2016.
Categories: Child Custody, Custody Tips, Family Law.
Imagine this situation: Suzy, a 14-year-old, stays out with her friends well beyond the local town curfew. She is escorted home at 2:00 a.m. by a local police officer. She is drunk. Her mother, the custodial parent, is infuriated. “You’re grounded, young lady,” she declares. And she means it! Except for one problem…. The next […]
Read MoreGive the Non-Custodial Parent a Freebie
Posted December 16th, 2016.
Categories: Child Custody, Custody Tips, Family Law.
Often, a child custody case is so contentious that parents fight over every little detail. So this piece of advice may seem contrary to common practice. But trust me on this one: It’s not a bad idea, every once in a while, if the parent with primary physical custody of the child (the custodial parent) […]
Read MoreGoing out of town with the kids for the holidays? Think “Exhibit” while you’re away.
Posted December 15th, 2016.
Categories: Child Custody, Custody Tips, Family Law.
Planning to travel out of town for the holidays? If so, don’t pass up the opportunity to gather some useful evidence along the way. If you’re embroiled in a child custody fight, an out-of-town trip with the kids is a prime chance to collect “exhibits” that can be used in your case. For example, if […]
Read MoreGet to Bed! Why you must unify children’s bedtimes and curfews.
Posted December 14th, 2016.
Categories: Child Custody, Custody Tips, Family Law.
A lesson to be learned: Back in 1991, Donna Forner and Bradley Gabriel of North Carolina had a child together. Ms. Forner and Mr. Gabriel were never married, and by the end of the 1990s, they were fighting over child custody and support. The court initially awarded primary physical custody to Ms. Forner because she […]
Read MoreArrange sleepovers and play dates at your house.
Posted December 12th, 2016.
Categories: Child Custody, Custody Tips, Family Law.
In a child custody dispute, it is always useful to draw as many of your children’s friends and parents as possible to your house. When it comes time to throw a party, do it at your house. Schedule sleepovers and playdates at your home, under your roof. Let other children in your neighborhood become familiar […]
Read MoreKeep records and receipts of all extraordinary purchases
Posted December 9th, 2016.
Categories: Child Custody, Divorce, Family Law.
How many times have you heard a non-custodial parent try to slither out of paying child support by claiming he bought the children a new pair of sneakers or he paid for their soccer uniforms? Such special purchases are not the same as child support, and you can’t get credit for giving gifts or paying […]
Read MoreMake a home video with the kids, especially during the holiday season.
Posted December 8th, 2016.
Categories: Child Custody, Custody Tips, Family Law.
Take advantage of the many family gatherings and festive moments over the next five weeks to produce your own family home video. Give your children starring roles in the movie, featuring them in happy, silly moments in the presence of their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Catch them setting the table and helping with the […]
Read MoreGo on vacation with your kids’ half-siblings.
Posted December 7th, 2016.
Categories: Child Custody, Custody Tips, Family Law.
Relationships between siblings– even half brothers and half sisters– can be very important in a custody case. In fact, in many cases, a judge will decide the custody case in favor of the parent who best promotes the sibling relationship. Where half brothers and half sisters are bonded to each other, the parent who can […]
Read MoreLet the spirit guide you! Why church membership might help your custody case.
Posted December 5th, 2016.
Categories: Child Custody, Custody Tips, Family Law.
Getting Godly doesn’t usually affect the results of a child custody case, but occasionally religious faith can have a positive influence. As courts strive to determine what’s in the best interest of the children, they find themselves looking at a number of factors – the best educational interest, the best social and cultural interests, the […]
Read MoreBuy your child a book today!
Posted December 2nd, 2016.
Categories: Child Custody, Custody Tips, Family Law.
The art of reading is slipping away quickly these days as children grow up in a world of I-Pads, I-Pods, Androids, Kindles and other messaging and texting devices. Too often, the courts hear about children who are failing basic reading and writing tests and who are emerging from high school as functional illiterates. For this […]
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