Dormont Family Law Firm
Is Spanking Harmful to Kids?
Parents should not spank their children due to the harmful effects of corporal punishment, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The group also advised against using non-physical punishment that is humiliating, scary or threatening.
Corporal punishment is defined as “non-injurious, open-handed hitting with the intention of modifying child behavior.”
It is associated with increased aggression and defiance, producing effects similar to those of children who experience physical abuse, according to recent studies.
It is estimated that about two-thirds of parents in the United States have spanked their children.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: child custody, child support, divorce, Protection From Abuse (PFA), and Children Youth and Families (CYF). 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.
Child Custody During COVID-19
COVID-19 has presented new challenges for people sharing custody of their children, as disagreements occur over how much the kids should be allowed to leave home or socialize.
Co-parents may disagree about school reopening, play dates, and extra-curricular activities.
In some Pennsylvania counties, including Allegheny County, courts have generally directed parents to follow their court-ordered schedules throughout the pandemic.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all child custody and family law matters.
To schedule a free consultation, call us today at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody: Corporal Punishment
In child custody litigation, parents are under a microscope. But the court isn’t the only one watching you closely. Your ex is paying close attention too. Your ex may be willing to tell the court anything that brings your integrity as a parent into question, especially the use of corporal punishment.
Although Pennsylvania permits the use of corporal punishment, the standard for deciding custody cases is “the best interests of the child,” which includes the child’s physical and emotional health. Accusations of excessive or extreme corporal punishment are given weight.
In cases where the scales weigh equally in favor of each parent, excessive corporal punishment may tip the scales out of your favor. If you are engaged in a child custody dispute, you should avoid using corporal punishment.
Sending your child back to the other parent with a mark caused by spanking could have disastrous results on your child custody case.
To speak with an experienced child custody lawyer, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Cheer For Your Kids
Kids love extracurricular activities such as sports, music, and dance, but parents engaged in high-conflict custody disputes can spoil the fun.
To ease some of the tension, consider planning ahead with your ex-spouse.
Perhaps you may both attend extracurricular events at the same time, but situate yourselves on opposite ends of the field.
Maybe you could designate days that Mom and Dad will attend separately.
Above all, ensure that your children are informed of the schedule as well, and that they know when Mom and Dad are present cheering them on.
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 at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody: Fast Food v. Organics
You may not like that your ex feeds the kids fast food while you prepare homemade organic meals. But try not to sweat the small stuff. While your ex-‘s household rules may aggravate you, they usually aren’t issues worth bringing to court.
Such disagreements over child custody decisions may exacerbate tensions between you and your ex, making co-parenting more difficult.
Moreover, you want to avoid irritating the judge by arguing over what will likely be deemed as superficial or petty disagreements.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including divorce, child custody, child 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.
Child Custody and Back-to-School
The transition from summer vacation to back-to-school is a difficult one to make for both parents and children. To avoid conflict between you and your ex-spouse, consider planning ahead with these four tips:
- Coordinate back-to-school shopping for the children.
- Determine which parent will complete schoolwork (or certain assignments) with the children.
- Discuss after-school activities for the children.
- Coordinate schedules for parent-teacher conferences.
To further prevent conflict, avoid discussing these issues in front of your children.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: child custody, child support, divorce, equitable distribution, 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.
Key Factors for Child Custody
Judges consider many factors when determining a child custody schedule. A child’s preference is just one of many factors. As children get older, courts may give greater weight to the child’s preference, though many judges do not want to hear directly from children. After all, it can be traumatizing for a child to choose between parents.
An important factor for determining custody is promoting consistency for the children. Courts generally will not disturb an existing arrangement or move children from their current school if they are doing well. Courts are also reluctant to split siblings between parents.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate representation in child custody cases. Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.