Most divorced parents in Michigan develop their child custody arrangements through a process of negotiation. This is never easy. Developing a parenting time schedule -- with all its technical details of drop-offs and pickups, vacations and so can be a lot of work....
Family Law
Drawing a line between protective and pathological parenting
It is a parent’s natural instinct to protect their child from all forms of danger, even if it means being negatively labeled as a protective parent. Monitoring a child’s phone use and restricting certain friendships can be a form of protective parenting. However, they...
Is your co-parent guilty of abducting your child in Michigan?
The classic depiction of a child abduction entails a kidnapper calling the parents for ransom in exchange for their child’s safe return. But what if the parent is the kidnapper? A Michigan parent may fail to follow specific parental regulations of the divorce...
5 signs of maternal gatekeeping
Mothers naturally feel protective of their children and frequently feel pressure to provide the best care possible. This may sometimes lead to a phenomenon called maternal gatekeeping, where the mother does not want anybody else to look after the child. It may...
Help! I think my ex is taking my child international
With recent television programs, there has been a renewed interest in international parental abductions. This interest is especially peaked with the proliferation and popularity of the 90-Day Fiancé franchise and universe. If you can find out about their intentions...
Maternal gatekeeping
The term, “Maternal Gatekeeping” may, at first blush, sound like a positive term. It likely conjures up pictures of a mama bear protecting her cubs. However, in this context, it is actually negative as it has a negative impact on the child’s relationship with their...
Dealing with parental alienation from your ex-spouse and child?
If you are divorced and living apart from your child, the situation must be challenging. Having to juggle your schedule as well as the schedule of your child can be challenging and you probably have to put a lot of effort into making it work so that your child's best...
Parental gatekeeping can lead to psychological abuse
It is natural for a child to feel hurt and angry at one or both parents following a divorce. But what is not normal is for one parent to gatekeep the child or even try to poison the child against the other parent. In extreme cases, parental gatekeeping can be...
How the Hague Convention deals with international abduction
We are all familiar with the horror stories of children being kidnapped by strangers, but the truth is that most child abductions are committed by someone the child knows, typically a parent. This scenario often comes up in the context of a custody battle between...
Do personality disorders lead to parental alienation?
There are a lot of factors that contribute to parental alienation. A false belief that the other parent poses a threat to the child, a disdain for the other parent and mental health issues can all play a role. However, those aren’t the only issues that can lead to...