Busting "Shared Parenting" Myths: Decision Trees in Custody Evaluations and Clinical Interventions... Coming Up This Friday, November 14, 2014!!

LIVE TWITTER FEED TO TWEET YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS STARTING AT 8:30 AM THIS FRIDAY MORNING!! PLEASE JOIN US "LIVE" IF YOU CAN- CEU'S AVAILABLE!!

"Through Our Eyes: Children, Violence and Trauma" Thank you, Office for the Victims of Crimes

Eighth Grader Made This Video for a School Project Featuring Problem of Child Abduction

This video was made by a girl named Ava, for her school project where she selected a global issue. It was featured by a website called Reunite International (www.reunite.org) which assists families with international abductions. This video was published in early December, 2013. There is an upcoming annual Child Abduction Conference 2014, hosted by 1 Kings Bench Walk Chambers,  (UK) being held on January 24th, 2014 for lawyers specializing working with these complex cases. The press release states: "Designed for those in the legal profession, the conference will include lectures and open discussions in the company of acknowledged child abduction law specialists, designed to inform and keep attendees up to date with the law in this complex area. To register your attendance please complete the online form which can be found at www.1kbw.co.uk/conferences."

Families Come in Many Varieties- Like Ice Cream!

The Voice of the Child, Part I

The Voice of the Child, Part I, has two different sites which contain the two folders from The Voice of the Child, Part I Conference with Leslie Drozd, Matt Sullivan and Judge Michael Clark. Available on Twitter: http://twitter/valeriehoughton: 1.http://twitter/valeriehoughton, see note.io/M4dyoP for materials in the booklet and 2.http://twitter/valeriehoughton, see note.io/IOisKs for the "extras" Available at Evernote, in a Shared Folder: www.evernote.com/pub/valeriehoughton: 1.www.evernote.com/pub/valeriehoughton/voiceofchild 2.www.evernote.com/pub/valeriehoughton/voiceofchildextras

New Film "Private Violence" Premier: September 30 in Washington DC

Andrew Schepard's Interview on Challenges Within Family Mediation- Excellent!

Separated Parents Lose Track of 3 Year Old for 2 Days: "I Thought He Was With You?"

So, Little Dion, of Macomb County (Michigan)  finishes up his tour as the Birthday Boy at the local pizza joint, then wanders around aimlessly at the arcade... until authorities are summoned and begin to look for his parents or guardians or even his name, on Saturday evening. For 2 days, the police received no contact from anyone, inquiring about a lost 3 year old child. Each of the parents assumed that Dion was with the other parent or the grandmother (I'm going to bet she takes the fall for this one) and neither parent checked in with the other one or, presumably,  even thought to call Dion and ask him how he liked his birthday party. After all, what 3 year old wants to talk about his birthday party, right? (They LIVE for their birthday party at this age and they talk about it, incessantly, ALL YEAR LONG!) Dion would not say his name, his phone number, his address, or anything other than "pizza"and "ice cream."He couldn't tell them who dropped him off. By the way, when he was 

Finally, on Monday afternoon, they did receive a telephone call from the pizza joint saying that one of the parents had just contacted them, saying that each of the parents thought that the other or the grandmother, would be picking up Dion after the party. For now, Dion remains in foster care... 

Doesn't this say it all about the importance of coparenting and communication? 

'Way to go, Caeserland Pizza employees on Eagleman, near Hoover Road!

Does This Look Familiar? Yikes!

Okay, so these Grizzly Bears could be our clients, our parents, our colleagues, our best-intentioned judicial system... Fortunately, there is an alternative approach, which is modeled in the form of Restorative Justice. Check it out, look it up, google it, watch some videos of some of the Peace Circles, the "Oasis of Peace" with the folks in the middle east and consider the cost of violence- no matter what the form. "Blessed shall be the peacemaker..." No matter what faith we observe, there is truth in that mantra.

Silobreaker Tool

My Ears and Eyes Are Shocked by These Statistics...

I'm reading new research on the biomarkers and neurological differences with people who "test" and having sociopathy... and clicked on a link in the series of articles... when suddenly I came across this startling statistic: that 1 woman in 6 is murdered by acts of domestic violence. As I was researching an article about recalls on baby strollers, I came across another startling statistic: that in the US, the number one cause of death in pregnant women is from domestic violence. I will be following up to ascertain more evidence of the validity of these citations. But, they did come from professional medical and justice department sites. Food for thought, in the meantime...

Atlantis: Rise Above, Be Bold and Abhor Bad Acts

I was having a conversation with one of my teenagers this week, we came across the light topic of "So, Is Man Basically Good or Bad?" Her argument was "They are bad."

I protested, she politely listened and then made the following speech: "No... we are basically bad and we have to be taught to be good. Then, it takes effort and energy and care to behave well.... Think about it. It is easier to blow someone off than to strive to reach them... It is easier to be rude than to be considerate... It is easier to eat with our hands than use a fork... It is easier to wipe our mouth with the back of our hand than to use our napkin..." I am deeply moved by these last several arguments... Maybe this child is seeing something which I have ceased to appreciate... Then she absolutely floored me by saying "I see how you are polite, you are kind, you insist on teaching us manners, grammar and taking the high road... I see you are disappointed when you see other people act like that... They just don't know any better... See? So, do I win the argument now?"... Wow...

Child Custody Decisions