The Associated Press recently highlighted the varied standards and outcomes nationwide for termination of parental rights.[1] According to the data provided there from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington State in 2014 had 10,630 children in out-of-home care, with 1,733 of…
Incarcerated parents have an especially difficult time maintaining a meaningful role in their dependency cases for many reasons, including:
· DSHS often has little to no information on the parent, including their name and basic whereabouts. They often rely on the other parent for t…
The choice to divorce in a non-adversarial way can be faster, cheaper, easier, and demonstrate a sanity and family stability to the children. Whether you call it collaborative divorce, cooperative divorce, conscious uncoupling, or just amicable co-parenting – I like to call it “acting like grown…
If you don’t already know anecdotally, cursory Googling will show how working parents in the U.S. face a bleak picture for parental leave. While new mothers generally don’t get enough time off, new fathers get even less so, if any. When my son was born last year most of my family and friends had …
Getting a divorce. Work? Kids? Parenting? Owning a business?
If divorce is looming, now is the time to start thinking about money. Divorce can impact your finances for many years to come so get a game plan and follow that plan.
Immediate Costs/Considerations
Each person’s facts are different but here is a list of some immediate financial considerations:…
Your Box of Chocolates – Choose wisely
It’s not all a matter of law and presumptions – relocation that actually serves the child’s best interest is also a matter of sacrifice, selflessness, sharing and doing what is right for the children without regard to what might be “fair” or “reasonable.”…
How to Handle Transitions
Summer is nearly here, and so is the end of the school year. Many parenting agreements allow for parents to have extended time with their children, so do not delay in advising the other parent which days you want. Often, parents are scheduling trips right now, reserving hotel rooms, buying plane …
Telling the kids about the divorce is a dreaded conversation. Everyone is nervous and anxious and sometimes very angry. Have a joint plan, practice it, and then implement it with love and flexibility because things never go as planned. The key is to avoid trauma and conflict. Present a united…
