CNN reminds us that we teach our children by what we do and what we don’t do. And what do we say about race in America? Jennifer Harvey writes (excerpt): When we remain quiet, telling ourselves the unlikelihood of changing…
Michigan’s FAQs about Custody and Parenting Time During the COVID-19 Outbreak
Michigan has issued guidance for parents with custody and parenting time orders. Matters addressed include: Do I have to follow my parenting time order during the COVID-19 outbreak?What are some parenting time alternatives that can be used? What if I…
Red Flags: protecting clients against elder abuse
The American Bar Association discussed the warning signs for elder abuse in clients. Amanda Robert writes (excerpt): 1. The elder client is accompanied by someone who joins the conversation and talks more. . . . 2. The elder client seems…
Monitoring your child’s mental health
CNN Health pulls back the curtain on childhood mental health. The report emphasizes keeping the focus on whether behaviors “are excessive, cause distress, are consistent and unrelenting and lead to problems in key life areas,” and offers tips on how…
The Dos and Don’ts of Being
Camille Rainville’s poem “Be a Lady, They Said” popularized in the video narrated by Cynthia Nixon.
The science of helping preschool readers
CNN Health offers tips from The National Institute for Literacy on engaging early readers. Sandee LaMotte writes (excerpt): 1) Start from birth by talking to your child and responding to their attempts to “baby talk” 2) Sing the ABC song…
IRS publications on children of divorced or separated parents
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…