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Communicating with your kids is all about talking in a way that they will listen, but also listening in a way that they will talk.
Listening isn’t easy, as many parents ignore the Law of Moderation, either talking too much or not saying enough in response to their kids’ comments. If you say nothing, youngsters don’t know if you really understood them. If you respond too aggressively, kids feel like you may be dismissing their concerns. Here are the five keys to effective listening.
- Give your full attention. Conversations with kids often seem to happen at inconvenient times, such as when you just get home from work or are busy with doing something else. Postpone what you are doing and listen to your child, without the distractions of television or your smart phone.
- Ask lots of questions. Many youngsters aren’t sophisticated in clearly articulating their thoughts and feelings. Their words may be imprecise or extreme. Instead of getting upset, ask open-ended questions such as, “Can you tell me more about that?” “How are you thinking about handling this?” or “What happened then?”A statement such as “Don’t you
This article intends to highlight the rationale for creating a National Putative Father Registry, instead of just allowing each state to independently promulgate their own registry.
On May 28, 2014, I had the opportunity to spend time with Anne Bissacco in an interview for this Ohio Family Law Blog Article. Anne is the Ombudsman and Customer Relations Supervisor for the Child Support Enforcement Agency (“CSEA”) for Montgomery County, Ohio. What is an “ombudsman”? Webster’s New World Dictionary defines the word as follows: “A public official appointed to investigate citizens’ complaints”. This is exactly the role that Anne performs. She listens to complaints and works to find solutions for identified problems.
A few weeks ago marked the one year anniversary since the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was struck down by the Supreme Court of the United States. This article aims to analyze changes and new laws that have arisen since this decision, discussing where the states and national laws stand in regards to same-sex marriages.
It seemed appropriate that I should write something for the family law blog geared towards the “Birthday of America”. In the past, I liked to reflect upon the holidays and tried to find some correlation between the specific holiday and my family law practice. Not always an easy task without becoming repetitive in discussing how to celebrate the day in the aftermath of a traumatic divorce. So, as I pondered possible themes, I considered offering a bit of a twist on “Independence Day”. Or, perhaps, writing a patriotic post about America and the importance of family values. In the end, I decided to go in a different direction.
A bill introduced in August 2013 would amend domestic protection order laws to include your furry friend. The new (potential) law seeks to add “companion animal” to protective order abilities. The new bill seeks to add the language…
In Ohio, and elsewhere, you may be able to deduct the interest paid on the mortgage on your principle residence when filing your tax return. A deduction is simply the lowering of your taxable income. For example, if you make an adjusted gross income of 70,000 dollars and have paid 10,000 dollars in mortgage interest throughout the year, you’re taxable income before other deductions would be 60,000 dollars.