This Father’s Day weekend, families are taking extra care to show Dad how much he is loved and appreciated.
But when parents reside in separate homes, coordinating plans for Father’s Day can lead to conflict.
Here are some tips for a smooth holiday weekend:
Work together to set a plan for the day.
Encourage the kids to enjoy time with their father.
Make the holiday about your children and plan an activity that is fun for the whole family.
Spivak Law Firm offers strong, compassionate representation in child custody matters. To schedule an appointment with an experienced family law attorney, call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania directed all Courts to generally close to the public from March 19, 2020 through at least April 3, 2020, with limited exceptions.
Absent a true emergency, parents are stripped of the ability to bring child custody matters to Court until at least April 3, 2020, or even as late as mid-April in some counties.
Until you are able to proceed through the Court, we recommend following these five tips:
Comply with your Custody Order of Court as much as possible, unless in cases of true emergency.
Be honest with your co-parent about suspected and/or confirmed exposure to the Coronavirus, work together to limit your child’s exposure, and immediately notify one another if your child exhibits symptoms of the virus.
Provide makeup time to your co-parent if they have missed out on time with your child. The Court expects parents to work together to reasonably accommodate one other, and may hold your inflexibility against you in future proceedings.
Try to be understanding and flexible. If possible, try to work together for the sake of your child. Parents may be subject to layoffs and unable to make support payments.
Encourage the relationship between your child and your co-parent. Your co-parent may be working extra hours in the wake of this crisis, or may even be forced into a weeks-long quarantine. Work together to provide telephone calls, FaceTime, and/or Skype between your child and co-parent.
The attorneys at Spivak Law Firm are available to counsel you and provide options for how to best handle your custody concerns. To speak with an experienced child custody lawyer, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
A key to effective co-parenting is encouraging your children to enjoy time with your ex.
Avoid telling your children that they are visiting with the other parent.
You don’t want to diminish your ex’s role as a parent or make your child feel like a guest in a home where they also reside.
Try to ensure your children feel at ease when transitioning from home to home.
It won’t always be easy, but try to encourage strong ties between the children and their other parent.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, and Protection From Abuse (PFA). We routinely help people with child custody issues, including: negotiating custody agreements, custody relocation, and custody trials.
To speak with an experienced child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Keeping your emotions in check will allow you to keep a level head. Remaining upset may cause you to make rash decisions. The last thing you want to do is annoy your judge by repeatedly filing motions in court over frivolous matters.
To schedule a consultation with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
If you have children and are getting a divorce, you will most likely need to work with the other parent on custody decisions. While this can be difficult, there are some steps you can take to make the process easier.
Here are 4 tips for co-parenting:
Put your children first. Make decisions that are in your children’s best interests.
Keep communication lines open. Good communication can avoid misunderstandings and keep your children from getting caught in the middle.
Make documents accessible. Creating a shared document or file that both parents can access can help you quickly share all of the essential information about your children.
Hire an experienced family-law attorney. Legal professionals familiar with child-custody issues are essential to ensuring a smooth co-parenting plan.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: child custody, child support, divorce, spousal support, and Protection From Abuse (PFA). To speak with an experienced child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm as (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
For divorced or separated couples, coordinating schedules for the children’s school schedule can be challenging.
But factoring in extracurricular activities, doctor’s appointments, and play dates can be especially tough.
To keep everyone on the same page, consider setting a family meeting once a month to discuss your children and their schedules.
You may find it easier for you and your ex-spouse to hash out schedules sitting down all at once rather than with scattered phone calls and emails.
At the end of the meeting, consider giving your children a copy of the schedule so they are aware of what to expect.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law: divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, and Protection From Abuse (PFA). To speak with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
You may still harbor hard feelings against your ex even after divorce. As difficult as it may be, it is important to put the interests of your children ahead of any ill feelings between you and your ex-spouse.
The following tips may be helpful in co-parenting with your ex-spouse:
Communicate with your ex-spouse civilly;
Talk to one another regarding rules and discipline of the children;
Abide by similar dinner, bedtime, and homework schedules;
Avoid high-conflict topics prior to exchanges;
Encourage the children to have frequent and continuing contact with extended family;
Discuss proposed custody schedule changes with your ex-spouse ahead of time.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, and PFAs. To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Co-parenting after divorce can be challenging for many families. Co-parenting means that both you and your former spouse must take responsibility for raising your children, even though you are no longer husband and wife. The goal is to keep children out of the middle of your conflict so they don’t feel the stress of the situation.
The children should feel as though they still have a family, just one that has been reorganized. Of course, the ideal way to achieve this is for the parents to get along, do what is in the children’s best interests, and put the children’s needs before their own. But this may be easier said than done.
While change is often difficult, it does not have to be destructive. It may make sense to get psychological support during such trying times.
To speak with an experienced child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Separation anxiety disorder is the most common anxiety disorder in children ages 12 and younger, and symptoms can emerge as early as age 2.
The causes aren’t entirely clear.
Genetics play a role – if one or both parents have an anxiety disorder of any kind, their children are more likely to have separation anxiety disorder.
The disorder can also be triggered in the wake of a stressful life event, like a high-conflict divorce or child custody dispute.
Parents who are concerned that their child may be showing signs of separation anxiety disorder should see a therapist who specializes in treating pediatric anxiety.
If left untreated, anxiety disorders increase the risk of other mental health conditions such as depression.
Treatment generally involves using cognitive behavioral therapy to help kids learn to manage symptoms plus training to help manage tantrums.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law and child custody matters. We routinely help families connect with important resources, such as: pediatric counselors, family counselors, and co-parenting counselors.
To speak with an experienced child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Can you represent me in my parental alienation case?
Yes. Spivak Law Firm represents people in child custody matters throughout Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania. We use our strong negotiation and trial skills to establish a custody arrangement that aims to preserve clients’ finances and protect their children’s emotional health. We work closely with clients to achieve their goals. To schedule an appointment with a child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
How do you prove parental alienation?
Mental-health professionals recognize the tragic impact parental alienation has on children, as the children may go on to have psychiatric disorders, failed relationships, and dysfunctional lives. In cases of severe parental alienation, we recommend the use of licensed professionals to aid in demonstrating the existence of the other parent utilizing alienation tactics. Said professionals can relay their observations and recommendations to the Court. At Spivak Law Firm, we routinely handle high-conflict custody cases involving parental alienation. Call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
How do you remedy the effects of parental alienation?
The psychological harm that results from parental alienation can be remedied or at least minimized by the intervention of professional counselors. In cases where parental alienation persists, Courts are often inclined to take custody away from the alienating parent to avoid further harm to the child. For more information, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
What is co-parenting counseling?
Co-parenting counseling is often ordered in high-conflict custody cases. It offers parents the opportunity to meet together with a licensed counselor in a confidential therapeutic setting to address the co-parenting relationship and issues of the child following separation. Parents have the chance to discuss day-to-day parenting issues, custody schedules, school, and behavioral concerns with the help of a counselor. Co-parenting counselors can also offer practical solutions to minimize conflict, improve communication, and focus on the needs of the child. For some parents, co-parenting counseling can help them move past the hurt feelings, frustration, and anger related to the separation itself in order to focus on the child. To learn more, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
What is family counseling?
Family counseling provides an opportunity for family members to meet with a licensed counselor who can help improve communication, resolve existing issues, learn coping skills, and heal wounds within their family. Sessions may include all family members or it may be limited to only certain family members. At Spivak Law Firm, we assist families with enrollment in family counseling. To schedule an appointment with a child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
This Father’s Day weekend, families are taking extra care to show Dad how much he is loved and appreciated.
In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania directed all Courts to generally close to the public from March 19, 2020 through at least April 3, 2020, with limited exceptions.
A key to effective 
As an intact family, you and your partner work together to raise your 
Separation anxiety disorder is the most common anxiety disorder in children ages 12 and younger, and symptoms can emerge as early as age 2.