Special Situations
Meeting a New Partner's Family Over the Holidays
Learn when your child should join a holiday visit with a new partner's family, and how to prepare them, plan the day, and protect their traditions.
Special Situations
23 articles
Special Situations
When a parent takes a child abroad: what the Hague Convention can and can't do
What the Hague Convention can and can't do when a parent takes a child abroad, who decides custody, and the first steps to take.
Special Situations
When the Other Parent Moves With Your Child During the Case
Learn what to check when the other parent moves or plans to move with your child during a custody case, and how to get legal help quickly.
Special Situations
When a Parent's Mental Health Is Part of the Parenting-Time Decision
A diagnosis alone usually does not limit parenting time. Learn how courts weigh your current parenting, state laws, and the evidence that matters.
Special Situations
How Supervised Visits Turn Into Regular Time With Your Child
Learn how supervised visits can become regular parenting time: meet court conditions, document progress, and ask the judge to change the order.
Special Situations
When Your Teenager Wants to Switch Homes
A fifteen-year-old says she wants to live with the other parent. What the request usually means, how courts tend to treat a teenager's voice, and how not to lose her while you…
Special Situations
Flu Shots, Vaccines, and Medical Decisions When Parents Disagree
Flu season means appointments and opinions. How shared medical decisions usually work after a split, and how to keep the doctor's office from becoming a courtroom.
Special Situations
Video Calls With a Child Who Lives Far Away
When your child lives states away, the weekly video call can carry more weight than it should. How to make it short, warm, and not another test she can fail.
Special Situations
Blended Families and Stepkids: Putting the Child’s Pace First
Learn effective ways to deal with a difficult stepchild. Build a strong relationship based on trust, empathy and set clear boundaries.
Special Situations
Grandparents Helping With Childcare After Separation
Set clear terms for grandparent childcare after a separation, including a written schedule, medical consent, and state caregiver rules.
Special Situations
Pet Custody After Divorce: Keeping Kids’ Routines Steady
Pets are often cherished members of the family, providing emotional support, companionship, and unconditional love. However, when a marriage ends in divorce, determining who gets custody of pets can be a complex…
Special Situations
Leaving a Marriage for a New Partner: Effects on the Kids
Leaving for a new partner? See how custody, child support, alimony, and retirement rules affect your kids, and how to talk with them about it.