Mt. Lebanon Family Lawyer
Why Child Custody Orders Are Important
Child custody orders are important even for parents who mostly get along. They are essential for parents who don’t.
Child custody orders typically include the schedules for when each parent will have the children, including during summers and holidays.
For high-conflict cases, it is often important to have detailed orders that govern everything from custody exchange locations to vacations and modes of communication.
But even parents who typically communicate well benefit from orders that lay out expectations when conflict arises.
Parents are always able to deviate from the orders so long as they both agree.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: child custody, child support, divorce, and Protection From Abuse (PFA).
Call us today at (412) 344-4900 or (800) 545-9390.
Teen Mental Health Issues
Statistics regarding teen mental health are, well, depressing.
More than 30% of high schoolers report persistent sadness.
About 20% say they have seriously considered suicide.
Teenagers may be happy to learn that some social scientists recommend combating these problems by advocating for less homework and later start-times at school.
Teenagers are not getting enough sleep, according to a recent Washington Post article:
“No one questions the benefits of sleep for babies and young children. But teenagers’ brains and bodies are changing and growing just as much as they did in their earliest years. The restructuring of the adolescent brain is pivotal to healthy development – and to a large extent, it occurs during sleep.”
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law and criminal defense with a special focus on child custody and domestic abuse. Call us today at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Domestic Abuse: Behavioral Effects On Kids
Children who witness domestic violence may have the following behavioral effects:
- Poor impulse control
- Stress disorders and psychosomatic complaints
- Increased social isolation or withdrawal
- Increased deceptiveness
- Aggressiveness
- Dependence
- Passiveness
- Bed-wetting
- Nightmares
- Lack of creativity and healthy exploration
- Feelings of powerlessness
- Low self-esteem
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Confusion and insecurity
- Sadness and depression
- Poor definition of self
- Defines self in parenting role
- Ambivalence
- Constant fear
- Self-blame
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: child custody, child support, divorce, Protection From Abuse (PFA) and Children Youth and Families (CYF).
We provide strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation. To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody and Healthy Anxiety
Anxiety is a critical protective mechanism that children begin to develop during their first year of life.
Healthy anxiety warns us when danger might be ahead, and for babies and toddlers, separation anxiety marks a developmental milestone as children begin recognizing that loved ones offer the most safety and protection.
Short, manageable meltdowns that happen right after day care drop-off, at bedtime, or when a parent leaves the room are normal and generally self-limiting.
Those episodes can also happen during periods of transition, such as after moving into a new home or starting a new school.
They typically last only a few minutes and go away entirely after the child has had a few weeks to adjust to the new routine.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all child custody and family law matters. To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody: Strategies to Prevent Meltdowns
Young children may exhibit symptoms of separation anxiety when their parents divorce. Symptoms may include whimpering to be picked up, shrieking if a parent leaves the room, or wailing at bedtime.
Child psychologists recommend the following strategies to prevent or de-escalate meltdowns:
- Validate their feelings: Acknowledge that you understand why the situation makes them feel scared, and encourage them to practice being brave and trying an activity on their own.
- Reward quiet acts of bravery: Avoid prolonging goodbyes and paying attention to tantrum. Be sure to reward them for playing alone or going to bed without fuss.
- Practice routines: If you suspect that your child might struggle with an upcoming event, like starting remote learning, returning to preschool or an overnight visit with family, practicing the routine a few days before can help your child prepare.
- Provide a transitional object: Give your children something small and personal that reminds them of home – that they can keep in their pocket or cubby and retrieve when they need to feel a connection to loved ones.
- Relieve your own stress: Anxious parents can exacerbate their children’s anxiety, so take steps to relieve your own stress.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, alimony, separation of assets and debts, estate planning, 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.
CYF and Parental Rights
Children have the right to visit with both of their parents in a case involving Children Youth and Families (CYF).
If a parent is not currently involved, the agency will try to offer the parent services and visitation to begin to form a relationship between them and the child.
The exception to these efforts would be if there was a documented account of the parent hurting the child or other children.
In a case like that, the agency would investigate what happened and see if it is reasonable to provide services while still assuring your child’s safety.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: child custody, child support, divorce, Protection From Abuse (PFA) and CYF. To schedule an appointment, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody: Parenting During COVID-19
Parents of young children may take solace or even find helpful tips or simple wisdom in hearing from others working through the challenges of parenting during the pandemic.
In a recently published letter, Lydia Kiesling relates meltdowns shared with her 6-year-old daughter during the lockdown:
“For months, she and I have found ourselves locked in an awful duet of upset and recrimination. I yell; she yells; we both cry. As March turned into April turned into June – as “you’ll see your friends soon” became “at least there will be kindergarten in the fall” became hopefully it will be safe by first grade” – it grew clear that even the most cosseted children won’t get out of this situation unscathed.”
She praises a seminal book on parenting: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.
The book reminded her that life is flying by:
“I spent so much of the early pandemic days in a holding pattern that I failed to realize that the pandemic had become reality – that our crisis mode urgently needed to be retooled for a longer journey, emotionally as much as logistically. Regardless of how we feel about this period, it is happening, and the days continue to pass.”
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: child custody, divorce, child support, spousal divorce, and Protection From Abuse (PFA). To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody and Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is normal and happens as children begin to differentiate between things that are safe and familiar and things that are new and different.
Classic symptoms include clinginess when a parent or caregiver is present, and crying or short tantrums right after the person leaves the room or home.
For most kids, separation anxiety sets in between 8 and 12 months of age and fizzles out around age 3.
But for kids who have a condition called separation anxiety disorder, which affects between 3 and 5 percent of children, those meltdowns can persist into elementary school and even after. They may escalate over time and include physical symptoms such as headaches and stomach aches.
The current pandemic has added an extra layer of stress and disruption. Symptoms might increase, especially in households where one or more parents are essential workers who are now home less often.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law with a special focus on child custody, mental health, drug addiction, and domestic abuse.
To speak with an experienced child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Talking to Kids About Divorce
Parents going through a divorce should take steps to protect their children’s emotional health.
Professionals recommend that parents determine in advance what they will say to their kids.
Parents should make clear that the divorce has nothing to do with the children, and work together to ensure consistency in their daily routines.
Individual counseling or family counseling may be helpful to address any lingering concerns.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: child custody, child support, divorce, and Protection From Abuse (PFA).
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: Back to School Amid COVID-19
In Pennsylvania, many school districts are offering parents three options for school amid COVID-19:
- Option #1: Go to a physical classroom inside their school building
- Option #2: Attend school online only
- Option #3: Choose a hybrid of the first two options by going to a classroom for part of the week and attending school online for the remainder
Parents who share custody of their children may not agree on which option to choose. One parent may feel that send their child into a classroom is too risky given the coronavirus. One parent may feel strongly that the risk of infection by sending the child into a physical classroom is low and necessary to ensure proper learning.
If the parents cannot agree, then a hearing officer may make the decision for them at a school-choice hearing. Both parents will get the opportunity to explain their positions, and the hearing officer will make a decision based on the children’s best interests.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all child custody and family law matters. Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.