Family and Parenting
Post Hurricane Katrina – Where are They Now?
August 30, 2016
As our family does every year around this time, we think about Hurricane Katrina and its impact on our family. While sitting in the hospital the other night with Eric, we spent some time reminiscing about what has occurred since the storm. First, our location has changed, and changed and change...
Mom, I’m Fine, I was in a Fender Bender and Have a Small Laceration
August 29, 2016
OMG - This was the understatement of the year for me. It's Saturday night (Sunday a.m. about 2:00 a.m), I have been in Seattle for a total of 3 hours, I am awakened by the familiar ring of my son, Eric, (each of the 6 kids has their own ring, of course) but I can't reach the phone, as I am still...
Why are Foster Parents Offered More Services than Birth Parents?
August 17, 2016
In a ruling aided by an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief from the ACLU of Washington, the Washington Supreme Court recently reiterated the State cannot take away a parent's rights without first providing services to help the strengthen the parent-child bond. Consistent with the legally...
Step Families Take Time and Space to Gel
August 10, 2016
As we sat around our dinner table last night discussing a variety of topics ranging from Trump's hateful rhetoric to a discussion around racism/classicism to the cost of a loaf of bread in Washington DC, it became very clear to my husband and I that our "little" (well not so little as we share 6 ...
“Adulting” is Not So Bad
August 8, 2016
Can I enjoy the perks of being a “grown-up” without the heavy and complicated responsibility that comes along with it? Especially in trying times like suddenly having to fumble your way through the unraveling of your family unit. Blind-sighted by a partner that ditched you and the kids for greene...
Facing the challenges of extended family during divorce
July 31, 2016
During even the best of times, relations with extended family can be challenging to navigate. These challenges may compound and manifest in many different ways during the process of separation or divorce. Depending on the type of relationships you and your spouse have with your respective...
Mindful Co-parenting
July 23, 2016
Mindful co-parenting
Conscious co-parenting – from the eyes of a 19 year old (Child of divorce)
July 10, 2016
Co-parenting, much like essentially everything in our world, has been thoroughly over analyzed and picked apart. There are even cute alliterations to describe your specific type of dysfunction, so take a moment and do some introspection. Are you and your ex cooperative colleagues, angry associate...
City of Seattle hopes to set precedent on paid family leave
July 7, 2016
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has proposed an extension to Seattle's parental leave permitted to city employees. He plans to replace the current four-week policy with a new eight week paid leave for employees with infants or ill family members. This eight-week period would effectively be a minimum; the...
Deeply Broken System
July 6, 2016
The Huffington Post recently interviewed Rafael López, President Obama's appointed Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. López sees the child welfare system as “deeply broken” with the chief problem being tha...