If you and your co-parent are going to be living some distance apart after your divorce, you'll need to include some provisions in your parenting plan regarding the specifics of long-distance co-parenting. Whether your child lives with you most of the time and visits the other parent only during vacations or the two of you are sharing custody, it's essential to include more than your parenting schedule in your plan.
Is a co-parenting class worthwhile even without your ex?
Co-parenting classes are designed to help parents who are no longer a couple learn to communicate, cooperate and compromise with one another for the well-being of their children. Sometimes a judge will order parents to enroll in a co-parenting class. However, separated or divorced couples sometimes choose to take a co-parenting class to learn how to navigate this new phase of parenthood.
Why you should help your kids with gifts for your co-parent
When you were married, you and your spouse likely each helped your children buy gifts for the other one's birthday, Mother's Day and Father's Day, Christmas and other holidays. Now that you're divorced, if you share custody, you still have that responsibility. At least you do until your kids are old enough to buy these presents without your money and/or other assistance -- like a ride to the store and some help gift wrapping.
Including alcohol, drug and tobacco use in your parenting plan
The provisions that you and your co-parent negotiate for your parenting plan should reflect your priorities and concerns when it comes to the well-being of your children. No two parenting plans look alike.
Why business owners need a prenup
The best way to ensure that your spouse doesn't end up with a financial interest or decision-making power in your business if the two of you divorce is to deal with it in a prenuptial agreement before you get married.
Do you qualify for special-needs adoption assistance?
Adopting a child in New Jersey involves a lot of expenses and fees. Under certain circumstances, however, you can receive assistance when adopting a child with special needs. According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, these are typically older children whose prospects of adoption are otherwise unlikely. If the child qualifies, you can receive a subsidy of up to $2,000 per child to assist with legal fees, etc.
How can you recognize passive-aggressive behavior?
If you are the victim of emotional abuse in New Jersey, it can be hard to recognize. An emotional abuser will not become physically violent with you but rather hurt you with words and actions. One particular type of emotional abuse that can often fly under the radar is passive-aggressiveness. Your partner may not display any overt signs of hostility or anger. Rather, he or she will manipulate you covertly, frustrating you by preventing you from achieving your objectives.
What are the differences between adoption and KLG?
When parents in New Jersey are not able to take care of their children, on either a short-term, long-term or permanent basis, it often falls to relatives, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins, to step up and care for the child. There are several different legal arrangements through which this can take place, including adoption and kinship legal guardianship. The two may resemble each other in many ways, but according to the NJ Department of Children and Families, there are several significant differences that you should be aware of if you intend to take responsibility for the care of a young relative.
What is the process for adopting a child?
If you want to adopt a child in New Jersey, the first step is understanding the requirements. You may need to complete training and obtain a license prior to entering the state's adoption system. Additionally, there may be eligibility criteria that apply to the prospective child. If you decide not to continue working through the process with the state, you may choose instead to become a foster parent or pursue adoption through a licensed private agency.
What are the different types of domestic abuse?
You may recognize that you are in a difficult relationship in New Jersey, but you may not see yourself as the victim of domestic abuse. This is because abuse does not always take the form of physical violence that causes observable injury. Any behavior that someone else uses to gain control over you through manipulation or fear constitutes abuse. The most insidious forms of domestic violence are often those that leave no outer mark or scar upon the body. They can be psychological, emotional or financial in nature.
