Children's Issues Archives - Page 2 of 6

Blast From The Past: The Role and Functions of a Guardian ad Litem in the State of Ohio

Blast from the past 13 years Ohio Family Law Blog

What exactly is the role of a Guardian ad Litem In the State Of Ohio?

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: “Over the years this GAL post has received a lot of interest. Confusion is commonplace for parents about the purpose of a Guardian ad Litem and how the process works. Let us know if you have any GAL issues in Dayton or Southwest Ohio.”

What is a Guardian ad Litem?

A Guardian ad Litem (“GAL”) is usually a lawyer appointed by the Court to appear in a lawsuit on behalf of an incompetent or minor party. In Juvenile Court cases and Domestic Relations cases, the Guardian ad Litem is appointed on behalf of a minor child or minor children in custody, visitation, and/or other disputed child-related issues.

What does the Guardian ad Litem do?

The Guardian ad Litem is appointed by the Court to undertake an investigation of custody issues, visitation issues, and other parenting issues before the Court. The Guardian ad Litem is expected to meet with each parent individually and to meet with each parent and the child or children to be able to observe the interaction between each parent and the child or children. The Guardian ad Litem is also … Read More... “Blast From The Past: The Role and Functions of a Guardian ad Litem in the State of Ohio”

Divorce: New Sesame Street Videos Help Kids Deal with Trauma

For decades, Sesame Street has played on TV’s across the country, teaching children their ABC’s and 123’s, while also broadening their vocabulary, and increasing other academic skills. But now, Sesame Street is focused on another issue: helping children cope with traumatic experiences.

Children and Traumatic Experiences

A study conducted in 2016 found that nearly half of the children in the United States have experienced at least one traumatic or stressful event, including the death of a loved one, abuse, and divorce. The study also found that 1 in 5 of these children has experienced these events on more than one occasion. Click here to read the study.

How Can Sesame Street Help Children With Traumatic Experiences?

Children who experience traumatic experiences are more likely to develop posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and even substance abuse. Early exposure to traumatic events affects the neurodevelopment of a child, which changes the way that they respond to stress and other experiences. According to the Department of Psychiatry at Saint Vincent’s Hospital in New York, “exposure to trauma also affects children’s ability to regulate, identify, and express emotions, and may have a negative effect on the way that a child views … Read More... “Divorce: New Sesame Street Videos Help Kids Deal with Trauma”

Blast From The Past: Preventing a Parentectomy After Divorce

How To Prevent A Parentectomy After Divorce

PUBLISHER’S UPDATE:
Here is one of my favorites posts from back on June 27, 2009! The advice rings as true now as it did then…We have a ton of interesting articles in our archives of the Ohio Family Law Blog. Use our Search tool and enjoy a few oldie but goodies!

One of the most interesting and well written pieces that I have read in a long time is a keynote address presented by Dr. Frank S. Williams to the National Council for Children’s Rights in Washington D.C. on October 20, 1990. Dr. Williams is a noted child psychiatrist and the Director of Family and Child Psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. While this presentation was almost 19 years ago, Dr. Williams’ sage advice is no less relevant now than it ever was!

During my 31-year law career, I have focused a large part of my efforts both professionally and as a member of various community organizations and non-profit Boards towards diverse child-welfare related causes. So with that stated background, I whole-heartedly encourage everyone to read Dr. Williams’ presentation in full, by clicking here.

I will attempt to capsulate some … Read More... “Blast From The Past: Preventing a Parentectomy After Divorce”

ADD & ADHD Divorce Court Bias Against Parents?

Study Reveals Children Diagnosed With ADD and ADHD Saw Increase In The Last 5 Years. But Experts Question Findings

NOTE: I want to thank Attorney Danielle Peterson for all her help researching and collaborating with me on this blog article! Originally from Helena, MT, Ms. Peterson received her B.A. in Sociology from Carroll College, and her J.D. from the University of Idaho College of Law. She is currently licensed to practice law in the State of California.

Gregory Ramey, Ph.D., is a child psychologist and vice president for outpatient services at the Children’s Medical Center of Dayton. For more of his columns, join Dr. Ramey on Facebook at www.facebook.com/drgregramey. Dr. Ramey has been a guest contributor to the Ohio Family Blog since 2007.

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add adhd ohio

On August 6, 2016, The Dayton Daily News ran an article by Dr. Gregory Ramey entitled, “Things I Don’t Understand.” While I found myself nodding along to many points made by Dr. Ramey, numbers 1 and 2 really got me thinking:

“Why Are So Many Kids Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Disorder?”
“Are Kids Being Over-Medicated By Well-Meaning Professionals As A Way To Pacify Parents Looking For An Easy Solution To Behavioral Problems?”

In discussing these … Read More... “ADD & ADHD Divorce Court Bias Against Parents?”

Child Abuse Increases During Holiday Season – But You Can Help!

For Victims Of Child Abuse The Holidays Can Be The Worst

child abuse holidays Around this time of year, it is impossible to go anywhere without hearing or seeing something reminding us to “give thanks” and to get into the “holiday” spirit. However, as the joy and excitement of the season spreads, so does the stress and anxiety that goes along with it. While it may seem strange to those of us who believe this is the “most wonderful time of the year,” for the victims of child abuse, it can actually be the worst.

With the stress of putting aside money for holiday meals and gifts, the additional events and expenses looming, coupled with children being home from school for an extended period of time, parents are often susceptible to losing control in an attempt to deal with the situation. During the holidays, emotions run high and tempers flare. As a result, these parents or caregivers often take their frustration out on their children rather than dealing with their anger in an appropriate manner.

Organizations nation-wide often report an increase in child abuse during the holiday season. For example, the organization Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee states that every year during the … Read More... “Child Abuse Increases During Holiday Season – But You Can Help!”

Fathers: 5 Ways American Fatherhood is Changing

Pew Research Statistical Findings Show Fathers Taking Active Role In Home Life

fathers children Kim Parker, Director of Social Trends Research at Pew Research Center, published a very interesting article on June 15, 2015, in their “Fact Tank” about the changing role of fatherhood in today’s society. Some of the statistical findings were surprising in my mind.

“Today, fathers who live with their children are taking a more active role in caring for them and helping out around the house. And the ranks of stay-at-home fathers and single fathers have grown significantly in recent decades. At the same time, more and more children are growing up without a father in the home ”, Parker said.

Here are 5 of the findings she made from reviewing the Pew Research Center reports:

Fewer dads are their family’s sole breadwinner. Among married couples with children under age 18, dual-income households are now the dominant arrangement (60%). In 1960, only one-in-four of these households had two incomes; 70% had a father who worked and a mother who was at home with the kids.
Roles of dads and moms are converging. In 1965, father’s time was heavily concentrated in their employment duties, while mothers

Divorce Book Review: DIVORCE: How to Tell The Kids: A Parent’s Guide to Breaking the News Without Breaking Their Hearts

Author Vikki Stark Conducts Over 100 Interviews With Children For New Book About Separation And Divorce

divorce children separation Vikki Stark, a divorce recovery specialist and a family therapist for over thirty (30) years, published this book in 2015. Her stated purpose in writing the book was to make the “telling” to the children of the news that a family was going to be separating as non-traumatic as possible. To research this subject area, the author conducted over one hundred (100) interviews with children and with adults who were children when their parents separated and divorced. She also interviewed parents who had already done the “telling” to their children to learn about their positive and negative experiences in doing so. Finally, she read and researched many articles written by other professionals in the same field.

The main points from Chapter 1, A Bridge to Your Next Life, are as follows:

You cannot avoid the anger or sorrow that your children may feel; but you can learn skills to reduce the trauma.
You must become “attuned” to your children’s emotions. Attunement means listening carefully to what they are saying, acknowledging and accepting their feelings.
Hearing or reading the actual words of children who have

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