When the Michigan courts assign visitation, they do so with the express purpose of ensuring the child or children involved maintain regular contact with the non-custodial parent. However, what looks good on paper does not always work out in real life. This is often...
child custody
How can I help my children through divorce?
Divorce is no picnic for the people going through it, but it is not only the couples themselves that are affected by this process. Children can become pawns in divorce and this can be very difficult for them. In order for your children to successfully cope and manage...
Can the custody process cause unhealthy stress?
For a lot of parents, the custody process can be very complex. Many are overwhelmed by difficulties they are working through in their professional life or problems with friends and family members. Others may have financial concerns and fears about how their divorce...
How are disagreements between parents sharing custody resolved?
Parents who divorce or split up will often share joint and/or physical custody of their children. This is because it is often in a child's best interests to have a relationship with both parents. As such, many Michigan parents will have to make child-related decisions...
What should we include in our parenting time arrangements?
Reaching a decision on child custody is no small achievement, whether that decision is the result of mediation or litigation. However, it is only the first step of raising a child with but separately from another parent. After this decision comes the process of...
Can I travel with my child this summer if I share custody?
Summer is nearly here, and that means kids will soon be out of school and families may be gearing up for vacations. As exciting or relaxing as you hope an upcoming trip will be, it can become the source of bitter disputes if you share custody of the children with whom...
Looking for a less disruptive housing arrangement for your kids?
If you're considering of involved in a divorce with kids, you may be dreading the prospect of sharing parenting responsibilities with your ex. Even if you're able to work well together as co-parents, you will still be disrupting your children's lives to a great extent...
What is ‘free range parenting’?
The state of Utah just passed a first-of-its-kind law formally legalizing so-called "free range parenting." This is a parenting theory espousing the idea that kids should be allowed to spend a great deal of time away from their parents and interacting with the world....
After divorce, can family courts say whether kids play football?
Football is a way of life for many families in Michigan. However, there is growing evidence that repeated concussions can cause serious brain injuries, and that such injuries may be more severe among those who begin playing tackle football before age 12. Even for...
Are dads spending enough time with their children?
In most cases, Michigan law officially favors child custody and parenting arrangements that promote a strong bond with both parents. That doesn't mean that every child custody and parenting order will split the child's time 50/50 between the parents, as there are...