Co-Authored by Lisa Wagner and Ashleigh Middlin, Doolan Wagner Family Lawyers. Republished with permission. Parental alienation is a term which is used to describe when one parent (the “alienating” parent) behaves in a certain way to undermine and damage the other parent’s relationship with a child. Whilst this term is considered to be controversial and […]
The primary message parents hear from professionals after separation is about the need for being child-focused. The family law act is built around the need of parents being focused on their children and their children’s needs in family law disputes. In mediation and any separated parenting conference, each parent presents their views according to what […]
Milestone regressions and behavioural changes of young children are frequently a major concern of separating parents. There are two, very rigid viewpoints often held by parents when regressions are reported. Parent A often reports that the child has regressed to bedwetting; is having unexplained tantrums, or appears to be over-tired etc. They fear that the […]
Learning to co-parent is a new path that requires adapting what you used to do, to what you now need to do. This article by Jennifer McIntosh, Ph.D offers wisdom to help keep the kids in mind. Building a secure parenting base after separation Many people say being a parent is the best but hardest […]
There are many aspects of separation and divorce. While it’s natural that parents need to resolve disputes to their satisfaction, it’s important that the children don’t become lost in that process. Parents who are in dispute present to mediators, or their lawyers, with issues that revolve around their needs and what they want to walk […]
Disputes and conflict do not always end after court orders or agreements have been reached. The nature of drawn-out family law disputes can mean that conflict becomes entrenched and is hard to overcome. Parents don’t necessarily have the right tools to move on from what’s happened in the past and focus positively on their future […]
Despite a shaky and uncertain start for many parents on how shared parenting would take place during COVID19, there is now a clear and concise message from the Government and the Family Court. Co-parenting in the vast majority of cases continues as it has always done. This applies to both court orders and those families […]
There is a concept in separation and divorce in which there is often a disparity between where each party are emotionally in relation to the separation. While some couples come to the decision together, in many cases one party has already made the decision to leave long before they’ve told the other. They are referred […]
Often the non-resident parent (be that for a week, or extended period) will report having difficulty in engaging children online. Phone calls, Skype and Facetime are all wonderful ways to interact. But how do you keep them interested? Firstly, I think it’s important to acknowledge that online engagement can be both necessary and sometimes the […]
During times of crisis, we tend to react from a base of fear. However, we all react or respond to fear in slightly different ways. And that’s okay. The important thing in co-parenting during this time is that you recognise there is more than one way to get through this. It’s also likely that you may […]