News Roundup - Family, Custody, and Everything in Between

Been active on our NCP Community Facebook page posting articles of interest to noncustodial parents, so join the fan page to get timely news. For the blog, makes sense to just round it up:)

My personal favorite news story was "Fed education chief to dads: Turn off TV, read" because despite the hard-line approach the Administration is taking with fathers, they have acknowledged weakness in the system! In response to the suggestion from the audience that schools send notices and report cards to noncustodial fathers, even those in prison, Duncan said he agreed!! Finally it is starting to be acknowledged: "We as educators haven't done a good job with this two-way street idea...the only way I'm going to do that is to incorporate the family."

Legalities & Parenting with your Ex:

• Laying the Foundation for a Custody Battle: A must-read for parents going through separation/custody mediation - on how to keep your cool and put everything in writing.
• Ask A Lawyer: Can We Have A Flexible Custody Plan?
• Overnight Parenting Time with Infants and Toddlers: A reminder that time at both parents houses is a GOOD thing, and it should happen early if possible. There are ways to arrange this gently with little disruption for children.
• Tips for noncustodial parents to stay connected to their kids: We face unique challenges!
• Judge Tells Mom: Punish Kids For Skipping Visits With Dad: It's crucial that custodial parents enforce visitation. Having both parents involved is in children's best interests, and part of parenting is transforming those rebellions into teachable moments.
• A noncustodial father goes back to court and wins primary, physical custody through rearranging his work and "greater efforts to make the child a primary aspect of his life." An interesting piece that comments on the less-sensational side of family court, when both parents were acknowledged to be good & loving - but one must be designated as primary physical custody.

On child support:

• Situations change, but child support slow to follow: Despite a great deal of media about child support payments being reduced, the process can take time.
• Indiana to research alternatives to incarceration for non-payment of child support: "Failure to pay court ordered child support is rarely the result of refusal to comply with the court's order."
• Are Child Support Laws Equitable and Fair For Both Parents?
• Court Requires Custodial Parent to Pay Child Support Payments to Noncustodial Parent
• A Good Father - He's Just Unemployed
• A new documentary has premiered, "Support? System Down," focusing on the fundamental flaws in America's Family Courts regarding the Divorce and Child Support System. I have not seen it yet but definitely will.

NonCustodial Moms

• Moving blogpost by a Non-Custodial Mother about the challenges she faces: "So, in the context of I AM A NON-CUSTODIAL MOTHER, I have chosen to focus on the mother part. The part that knows her daughter."
• On the Dr. Phil show about noncustodial moms, Maria Housden did an incredible job discussing the issues. Dr. Phil is aggressive, but she holds her own and really helps separating parents by offering her experience as a lesson -- that we should ALWAYS document everything legally.
• Video testimonial from Maria's daughtersthat they did not feel "abandoned" by her and that it hurts them when people say terrible things about her.
• Dr. Phil's blogpost in response to the enormous amount of feedback to the noncustodial mom show. Unfortunately still in attack mode as he critiques parents who "unplug" from their kids, which is not what most separating parents are doing or want to do.

Parenting Tips:

• Long-distance parenting: Technology can help
• 10 ways to teach kids about sexism
• Michelle Obama says: "being a good mother isn't all about sacrificing. It's really investing and putting yourself higher on your priority list."

NCP Splash Headline of the Week:

• American jailed in Japan for trying to reclaim his children: Setting aside the very complex details of the case... I was impressed that the school called the noncustodial dad on the first day of classes to say his kids hadn't arrived! Not sure all schools would do that.