Family and Parenting

What you need to hear before you decide to create a blended family

What you need to hear before you decide to create a blended family

Everyone will not be happy

While you and your new spouse may be blissfully happy it is important to recognize that most of the other members of the family are probably not approaching this transition from the same emotional place. It is important to not only recognize this but also behave acco…

A woman on the phone on a busy street

Don’t Listen to Bad Advice

Most of the time unsolicited advice is innocuous, but in the case of divorce, advice from well meaning but misinformed people can be harmful.

Encouraging acrimony

Especially if you feel slighted by your divorce, it is likely that those around you may encourage you to “fight” or be intenti…

Two smiling kids

Co-Parenting and Camps by Karen Bonnell

Planning for summer two to three months in advance allows everyone in the family to prepare for, and enjoy summer with less stress, conflict and uncertainty.
Once the summer schedule is set, parents may still make requests of one another for schedule changes in order to take advantage of spontan…

5 tips for single parents

5 tips for single parents

1.  Love yourself
Being a single parent is incredibly daunting and you will be a thousand times more successful if you engage in self-care. In order to be a good parent, especially when doing the job solo, its important to be the best version of your self. This can only be achieved by loving you…

Does Donald Trump Impact Your Marriage?

Does Donald Trump Impact Your Marriage?

Will our increasingly polarized political climate have a future impact on divorce? Following the election of Donald Trump, there were several viral news stories about women leaving their husbands over their political differences. Is this justifiable? Should there be a marriage vow clause for “in …

Self Care for Parents

Self Care for Parents

Self-Care for Parents in Divorce

Susan Stiffelman shared an image in her latest newsletter with the subject “You have permission to rest, and more”. Often parents, particularly parents going through a divorce or trying emotional time forget that they too are human beings that deserve to be…

What is a Title 13 Guradianship?

What is a Title 13 Guradianship?

There are several possible resolutions to a case when a child is removed from the home by CPS and a dependency action is initiated. The most familiar is reunification, i.e. the child goes back to the parent and the court dismisses the case. On the opposite end is the initiation of a termination c…

How Can Trump Impact Your Parental Rights?

How Can Trump Impact Your Parental Rights?

With Trump officially sworn in as the 45 President of the United States; many are running to their local family lawyer. Why? Because parentage rights may be in question. In Washington State one parent is considered the biological parent of the child and the other presumptive parent. This can get …

Collaborative Law for Prenuis

Financial Planning for the Blended Family

First, congratulations. We love helping families who are coming together. In addition to some of the emotional implications that make come along with blending your family, it is also important to get your financial arrangements in order. Here are some top suggestions before you tie the knot:

C…

Crisis in Child Welfare

Restructuring DSHS

Locally and nationwide it’s clear the child welfare system is in a dire state of disrepair. We recently highlighted one of the bigger problems facing the system: caseworker burnout and turnover. One possible solution on the horizon is a dramatic restructuring of the Department of Social and Healt…