The IRS has its “Tax Information for Non-Custodial Parents” posted online. The one-page resource addresses: Child support payments [not tax deductible by the payer] Claiming Your Child as a Dependent Child Tax Credit Earned Income Credit (EIC) Treasury Offset Program…
To be busy or to be productive, that is the question
The Harvard Business Review offers advice on practicing into being your “future self.” Peter Bregman writes (excerpt): If you want to be productive, the first question you need to ask yourself is: Who do I want to be? Another question…
On kids – Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation (2003)
Bob: The most terrifying day of your life is the day the first one is born. Charlotte: Nobody ever tells you that. Bob: Your life, as you know it… is gone, never to return. But they learn how to walk,…
A reversible poem, a thrivers-survivors poem: National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and “[t]he goals of DVAM are to raise awareness about the prevalence and cost of domestic violence, the need for prevention, and the services that are available in the community to victims and their…
If you’re working at being happy, you’re trying too hard
MarkManson.net peals away the layer on this secret: happiness is a side effect, “not something you obtain, but rather something you inhabit.” Mark Manson writes (excerpt): It’s the perpetual pursuit of fulfilling our ideal selves that grants us happiness, regardless…
Murphy’s Law: 5 ways great parents make great kids
Inc.com shares simple ideas for raising great kids. Bill Murphy, Jr. writes (excerpt): 1. Stay on top of them. . . . British researchers found that parents who articulate high expectations are more likely to have kids who grow up…
8 tips: How to deal with and overcome anxiety and depression
NPR Morning Edition reports on the Northwestern University study in Health Psychology showing how we can learn to overcome anxiety and depression. Embracing 8 skills move us away from stress and toward a positive attitude. Allison Aubrey’s summary of Judith…
Bringing up bothers: 7 tips for having arguments without yelling, blaming, insulting, hurting
CNN Health reminds couples of better argument strategies with an interview of couples therapist Saul Stern, who highlights the relationship research of the Gottman Institute. Amy Chillag organizes her article around these seven tips (excerpt): Don’t avoid tough conversations Step…
Blimey: moralistic blame did not strengthen marriage across the pond
CNN reports on the United Kingdom’s move away from only fault-based divorce requiring proof of “unreasonable behavior” or years of living apart and moving toward a no fault divorce system. Jack Guy writes (excerpt): Experts say current rules can make…
One change a week: 10 ways to improve your life
Psychology Today offers up 10 tips for making changes in your life, one week at a time. Barton Goldsmith’s top ten list with brief comments includes these three tips (excerpt): 2. Love is the only thing worth holding on to.…
Disappointment’s greatest gift: treating yourself with compassion
Psychology Today gives us Do’s and Don’ts for “What to Do When You Feel Let Down by Someone.” Toni Bernhard’s list of Helpful Responses includes (excerpt): 1. Recognizing that all relationships change 2. Feeling happy for others 3. Questioning the…
Parenting tips on how to raise a happier child
Happy Child starts with Tal Ben Shahar, the researcher, author and lecturer, and translates concepts into tips for building happier children. Yvette Vignando’s list (and discussion) includes (excerpt): 1. Allow your children to notice the full range of feelings they…
High roads for kid’s sake: you, your divorce, your children
Karen Covy contributes her “Divorced Girl Smiling” top 10 list on taking the high road. Covy runs through ways to (a) make things better or (b) not make things worse, and her list includes (excerpt): 1. Treat your spouse with…
Best Lawyers in America recognizes David C. Sarnacki as 2019 Lawyer of the Year
Best Lawyers in America recognized David C. Sarnacki as one of the 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” award recipients for his work in Collaborative Law: Family Law in Grand Rapids. Only a single lawyer in each practice area and community…
2019 Best Lawyers in America – Professional Review and Rating of David C. Sarnacki
Best Lawyers in America selected David C. Sarnacki for its The Best Lawyers in America (25th edition). Mr. Sarnacki was recognized again for his work in: (1) Collaborative Law: Family Law; (2) Family Law; and (3) Family Law Mediation. The…
Out with the old: the parenting pendulum swings to teaching consequences by agreeing to contracts
CNN highlights Katherine Lewis’s “The Good News About Bad Behavior.” Lewis shows why punishment doesn’t work and outlines various approaches to helping kids learn self-control. Elissa Strauss writes (excerpt): “Punishment is something imposed on a less powerful person by a…
Parenting teens: embracing, understanding, changing
The Guardian gathers a few experts to show parents how to help our teenagers. Included in the tips list are these two: 4 Keep lines of communication open “There’s no doubt that the way you communicate will change,” [Ammanda] Major…
To complain or not to complain: feeding a more productive and valuable cycle
Harvard Business Review help us know what to do when we feel like complaining at work. The principles provide a road map for our other relationships as well. Peter Bregman shares 5 steps to taking effective action and writes (excerpt):…
Scammers fishing for cheaters
CNBC and others, like KrebsOnSecurity, are highlighting scammers spamming affluent neighborhoods with letters declaring “I know you cheated on your wife.” Jennifer Schlesinger and Andrea Day write (excerpt): “The amount of money is such that it’s not so much that…
Getting gross with your partner: Better relationships through dishwashing
The Atlantic reports on the Council of Contemporary Families’ study describing the correlation between who does that dishes and how strong a couples’ relationship is and how long it will last. The Counsil reports that women in heterosexual relationships value…