Tag Archives: child welfare

online parenting class

New for Co-Parents: Online Parenting Classes Now Available

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Online Co-Parenting Classes May Satisfy Court Requirements There are online college degrees and virtual SAT tutoring so why not on online parenting classes? The digital age has given divorcing parents a solution to the difficulty of fitting court-ordered co-parenting classes into an already over-scheduled co-parenting life. Even if you are not required to do a co-parenting class by court order, it is a great idea to learn new techniques to parent together in difficult situations. Online parenting class providers include: Course for Parents Online Parent Class Online Parenting Programs Each online parenting class provider has a different programs and costs. Continue Reading…

grandparenting time

Grandparenting Time Allowed Under Michigan Law

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In Michigan, grandparents have the right to seek Grandparenting Time with grandkids after the parents’ divorce, legal separation or annulment if two very specific conditions are met, according to Michigan Legislature. Guidelines for Grandparenting Time Eligibility Number One – The Grandparent is only eligible for visitation time if he or she cannot have access to the grandchildren during his or her child’s custody time. To clarify, we’ll establish a common scenario using generic names. So let’s say the Grandparents are Arthur and Beatrice. Their child, Thomas, has a daughter, Anne. Arthur and Beatrice can only seek Grandparenting Time with Anne if Thomas is Continue Reading…

parenting coordination process

Tips for Successful Parenting Coordination Process

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The Parenting Coordination Process is a mediation arrangement where co-parents work with a coordinator to resolve child-custody related matters. QUESTION: Which parenting scenarios might be prime for Parenting Coordination Process? A: A parent is consistently late for child visitation exchanges. The parents repeatedly fight and return to court over drop-off and pickup arrangements. B: Ex-spouses disagree about a child’s mental health treatment plan. There is regular conflict regarding medications, supplements, vitamins, diet and exercise. C: A parent has a new job and wants a permanent, one-time alteration to the visitation schedule. D: Both parents generally work well together but dispute Continue Reading…

children of parental alienation

Children of Parental Alienation Suffer as Adults

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As incidences of Parental Alienation Syndrome increase, therapy professionals are looking at the long-term impacts on the children of high-conflict divorces. Children of Parental Alienation Suffer Later in Life According to Edward Kruk, Ph.D., “Psychiatrist Richard Gardner developed the concept of “parental alienation syndrome” 20 years ago.” Now, decades later, the children identified as being the subjects of Parental Alienation are becoming young adults and encountering difficulties in the own marriages and parenting relationships. It manifests itself in narcissistic behaviors, addictions, and difficulty co-parenting. The term Parental Alienation is used to describe a perpetual pattern of one parent brainwashing the Continue Reading…

drug abuse

Drug abuse: 5 things I wish my family law clients knew

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Dear Drug or Alcohol Abuser, I’ve been a family law attorney for more than 20 years now and I have seen families ripped apart by alcohol and drug abuse. I’ve also witnessed the positive, reaffirming and heartwarming tales of parents reunited with children after a scary bout with addiction. The path of alcohol and drug use->abuse->addiction-> ruin is not a certain one. Clients have recovered. So whether drug abuse or alcohol abuse is the primary source of legal trouble or compounding it, there are five items I wish my family law clients knew about drug abuse and testing that can prevent a bad Continue Reading…

Hague Convention Rules

Hague Convention Rules Help Bring Kids Home

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Hague Convention Rules Crucial in International Parental Kidnapping Cases When International Parental Kidnapping Occurs, Hague Convention Rules Custody disputes are traumatic enough but image how horrible it is to have your spouse or the other parent of your child leave with your child to another country. This is not as rare as you might think. Kathryn M. Wayne-Spindler has handled just those types of cases. What matters most is if the parent went to a country that is a member of the Hague Convention. If so there are avenues to bring your child home. If it happens to you there Continue Reading…

uniform child support order

Michigan Uniform Child Support Order Changes for 2016

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Milford Family Law Attorney Kathryn Wayne-Spindler recently attended a Michigan Family Law seminar as a part of her commitment to continuing legal education. One of the presenters, J. Matthew Catchick, outlined several additions and updates to the Michigan Uniform Child Support Order paperwork. Wayne-Spindler shares some of the highlights here for her clients interested in child support issues. Uniform Child Support Order Payments Child Support can be paid through the Friend of the Court or independently. A Uniform Child Support Order (UCSO) form must be filled out properly and submitted to the Friend of the Court. “It is important to note Continue Reading…

disagree about ADHD

When parents disagree about ADHD

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The Great ADHD Debate is in the news all the time. Although most people now tend to acknowledge that there are actual ADHD sufferers out there and that it is indeed a “real” diagnosable and chemically-treatable disorder. There is still much debate over whether ADHD is being over-diagnosed and over-medicated. The Mason-Dixon Line of the ADHD battle seems to be, “To Drug or Not to Drug.” Divorced parents who disagree about ADHD sometimes end up in court over child custody matters like medication for mental illness. On the one side, some parents cry out against the Zombiephication of future generations. Continue Reading…

Proper age for leaving children home alone?

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Age is Just a Number Did you know…? There is no legal age restriction for leaving children home alone in the State of Michigan. It is up to the parents to determine the age at which they feel their children are mature enough to make smart, safe decisions. It is assumed that every child is different and the parents know their children best.  Parents know, for instance, that while their 10-year-old will sit quietly reading in his room for an hour, the 14-year-old might be juggling chainsaws in the garage. There is a common misconception, that if a child left Continue Reading…