Coping With Grief When the Family Composition Changes
As with all things, family life inevitably includes change. Whether it's through separation, custodial changes, divorce, or the loss of a loved one, navigating loss and grief can be a daunting journey.
Topics: Child Custody, Mental Health, Parenting
Co-Parenting a Neurodivergent Child
When parents share legal or physical custody of their child, they must have some measurement of agreement on how to raise the child.
Topics: Child Custody, Parenting
Parenting and Teen Safe Driving
The US Department of Transportation designates October 15-21, 2023, as National Teen Safe Driving Week - an important initiative to raise awareness about teenage drivers' risks and challenges and promote safe driving habits among young drivers.
Topics: Child Custody, ParentingEffectively Putting the Kids First in a Divorce
In Episode 22 of the Family Matters podcast, Kate Reese said, "Even though I work for the parents, I am always mindful of the children in my case: how old are they, what do they need, how are things going at home for them." Throughout this informative and insightful episode, Kate and her guest, mental health counselor, Phyllis Palombi, shared their professional experience and insights into the parties least likely to be represented in a divorce - the children. And yet, these are the ones most likely to suffer repeated traumas, long-term because of the divorce. Together, Kate and Phyllis offered some important considerations for divorced parents.
Topics: Child Custody, Divorce Law, ParentingManaging the Custody and Support During Summer Break
When school lets out, the regular schedule for the kids goes out the window, and managing their summer schedule presents a co-parenting challenge. Camps, playdates, vacations, and even day-to-day childcare all require planning and often have an associated expense. While some custodial arrangements will go into detail about how to handle the basics of summer break, it is unlikely that every eventuality will be covered. Here are some tips for avoiding conflict in the dog days of summer.
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, Mental Health, ParentingIt's Graduation. What Happens to Custody and Support?
High school graduation is a significant rite of passage for young people, but it also signals a transition for parents, especially when they are not together. As the graduate prepares to enter the next phase of their life, parents should be aware of the many ways that adulthood can impact their rights and obligations concerning their children
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce Law, ParentingCo-parenting A Special Needs Child
Children can bring out the best and worst in parents, and when that child has special needs, it can be a struggle to address those needs unless the parents are aligned. A change in the family system should not interfere with the care of a child, but in the real world, this can be a challenge that many families face,
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, Mental Health, ParentingDe-Escalating Conflict Between Parents and Teens by Bethany Bray
It's natural for adolescent development and parent-child conflict to go hand in hand. Le-Ann Solmonson, a licensed professional counselor (LPC) who owns a private practice in Nacogdoches, Texas, has worked with children and adolescents in school and clinical settings throughout her career. Time and time again, she's seen families fall into a pattern as children reach adolescence: The youth wants more autonomy - a normal aspect of adolescent development - and begins to push against their parent's rules and boundaries. In response, the parents tighten their control or inflict punishment, only to have the adolescent push back harder, break more rules and chafe against their parents' preferences. Thus begins a repeating spiral of friction, frustration and misunderstanding - on the part of both the teenager and the parents.
Topics: Child Custody, Mental Health, ParentingHow Step Parents Can Obtain Further Parental Rights
Every family is different, and often the parent of a child marries another adult who wants to play a part in the life of the child. Where both biological parents continue to be interested in maintaining their parental rights, there are limits to a step-parent's legal right to assume a parental role for the child. However, in many instances, there are opportunities for an adult to have their relationship with a step-child recognized by the court.
Topics: Child Custody, Divorce LawAfter the Separation: Tips for Making a Healthy New Family Unit
When parents split up, children are forced out of the lives they know into unknown territory. No matter the level of acrimony, this transition is difficult, and often traumatic. While each family is different, and many factors can impact how children survive and thrive with this major change, parents can take some specific steps to ease the kids into a new normal.
Topics: Child Custody, Mental Health, ParentingFour Tips When it is Two Homes for the Holidays
When custody is shared between two households, the holidays can be a challenge. As a time traditionally spent with family, it can be difficult when the children can only be one place at a time. Over the decades that we’ve worked in family law in Northern Virginia, we’ve learned that this can turn joy into stress for the parents and the children. In our latest podcast, we discuss the issue, and we identify four ways to help minimize difficulties.
Topics: Child Custody, Mental Health, Parenting5 Common Physical Custody Mistakes
When it comes to a change in family relationships and new custodial arrangements, the transition and implementation can get bitter and divisive. Some of this is a natural byproduct of change, but other issues arise because the underlying relationships were negative already. To lessen the impact of these factors, parents and other custodians need to be careful to avoid some critical mistakes that add to the challenge.
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, ParentingSupporting Your LGBTQ Child
In the most recent podcast, Kate Reese, and her guest, Cyndi Turner, an expert in counseling and co-founder and Clinical Director of Insight Into Action Therapy, had an insightful conversation about supporting a child who is grappling with their LGBTQ identity. Â
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, ParentingThe Importance of a Co-Parenting Agreement
When a married couple decide to divorce, the children are a major consideration since they play such an important part of their lives. Even unmarried parents who go through a split will need to make some plans.
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, Mental Health, ParentingYou've Been Served with Custody Papers in Virginia: Now What?
Getting served with legal papers is a frightening experience. A stranger, sometimes even a sheriff, hands you an envelope that contains multiple pages of legalese. Many people go their whole lives without being involved in a legal action, so it is a new, unpleasant experience to know that you are going to have to deal with the legal system.
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, Choosing a Lawyer, Divorce Law, ParentingParental Rights and Education Issues
Aside from home, health, and maintenance, one of the biggest parenting issues when raising children is their education. Following a divorce, legal and physical custodial rights do not necessarily dictate where a child will be educated or what role each parent will play in education, so this issue can become a source of dispute between the parties.
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, ParentingThat's Illegal! Family Law and Crime
Family law disputes can be highly acrimonious, and accusations fly back and forth about the actions and behaviors of the parties. Among the worst of these exchanges are allegations of criminal activity.
Topics: Child CustodyChoosing the Right Professionals for A Family Law Matter
Family law matters can be some of the most intimate, stressful, difficult legal procedures that a person goes through in their lifetime. Picking the right professionals to assist with the process is critical to assuring an acceptable outcome. We recently outlined the types of professionals that are used in family law matters. Here are a few tips about what to look for in a professional.
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, Collaborative Divorce, Divorce Law6 Reasons to Consider Mediating a Family Law Dispute
Mediation differs from litigation before a judge because the parties get to decide the outcome. A mediation is simply a negotiation between the disputing parties assisted by a trained, neutral go-between called a mediator. If you don't agree to settle, the dispute is not over, and the mediator can't decide otherwise. The mediator does not make decisions or provide legal advice. Instead, a mediator helps guide the parties to a mutually agreeable solution. In terms of self-determination, no one knows one's own family better than the family members themselves, so they have a better understanding of what works and what doesn't. For parties with a family law dispute, a number of ways make mediation a preferable approach to the problem.
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce Law, Mediation, Property Distribution5 Reasons to Work With an Attorney in Your Divorce
While it may seem obvious that you should hire a family law attorney in a divorce, some people think that the cost of the fees are too high. So, instead, they try to do it themselves. In truth, working with a good family law attorney will help make the divorce process go much more smoothly.
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce Law, Property Distribution5 Ways to Prepare to Meet with Your Family Law Attorney
Consulting with a family law attorney involves providing a great deal of personal information to a professional. It can seem to be an intimidating and scary process, which makes the reason for your consultation (like a possible separation or divorce) all the more difficult. You may think that certain issues are important – and they are – but they may not be the most important consideration from a legal stand point.
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, Collaborative Divorce, Divorce Law, MediationHow Will We Protect the Children?
Whether they are children of intact, separating, divorcing, or unmarried families, children require the financial support of their parents. In fact, parents are obligated to provide support for their children. That is simple enough, but when parents are separating, divorcing, or unmarried, determining how much support must be paid, to whom the support is to be paid, the expenses to which the support is applied, and what to do if support is not paid, becomes very difficult.
Topics: Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce Law, Parenting
