Keeping in Contact with your Child

Hostile Aggressive Parenting (HAP) is defined as: A general pattern of behavior, manipulation, actions or decision-making of a person (usually a parent or guardian) that either directly or indirectly; 1) creates undue difficulties or interferences in the relationship of a child with another person (usually a parent or guardian) involved with the parenting and/or rearing of the child and/or, 2) promotes or maintains an unwarranted unfairness or inequality in the parenting arrangements between a child’s parents and/or guardians and/or, 3) promotes ongoing and unnecessary conflict between parents and/or guardians which adversely affects the parenting, well-being and rearing of a child. This intentional interference between the bond of a parent with his or her child is what leads to stepparent adoptions in many… [more]

Recently an old friend of mine whom moved overseas turned me on to Google Talk. It is a messenger service, much like MSN, or Yahoo, but has another function as well. You can actually talk through your computer’s either built in microphone, or external one, and hear the person on the other end of your conversation through your computer speakers. Most new computer models have both built in microphones and speakers making Google Talk a simple few minute download, and you are ready to go. You can share pictures almost instantly back and forth, as well as hook up a webcam, a streaming video camera specially designed for computers, allowing you and… [more]

In many domestic infant adoptions, as well as some adoptions that are done through the foster care system, an agreement is made to keep contact between the adoptive family and the surrendering family, or parent. Sometimes this contact is direct through visits and phone calls, while other times, the contact is done through a third party, such as the agency that completed the adoption. In stepparent adoption situations where there is a bond between the non-custodial parent and the child, yet direct contact could be potentially harmful for the child; the custodial family should consider setting up some form of indirect contact. This can be between the non-custodial parent and child, or simply between… [more]

There has been a lot of talk on the adoption.com forums about allowing contact after a stepparent adoption goes through, for biological parents whom have been in the child’s life, but are willingly signing over their parental rights to their children. When children have an established bond with an uninvolved parent, it can be a difficult call as to if the relinquishing parent should still be allowed contact with the child or not. In some cases, the non custodial parent has an unstable lifestyle, and is signing over his or her rights because he or she realizes that it is in the children’s best interest. While they still love their children, they do not or… [more]

While the legal process of a stepparent adoption severs the ties between the child, and his or her non-custodial biological parent, it does not mean, in all cases, that it must cut that biological parent out of the child’s life completely. Not all stepparent adoptions must be, or are performed, in order to cut a non-custodial parent out of a child’s life altogether. In some cases it is simply in the best interest of the child, for him or her to live in a home with two legal parents. If the non-custodial parent lives across the country, or even out of the states, it can be hard on the custodial parent to fully take care of the child, when the other legal parent… [more]

Many times, once a divorce has become final, many miles grow between a child and his or her non-custodial parent. When the custodial parent moves away, keeping in regular contact with the child can prove to be extremely difficult for the non-custodial parent. Feeling helpless as to what to do, and how to stay in touch, the non-custodial parent watches his or her very own child, move away, and seemingly slip out of the non-custodial parent’s life. With the expense of long distance phone calls, coupled along with the rising cost of gas prices, the ability for the non-custodial parent to keep in regular and meaningful contact with his or he child, and maintain a strong connection to one and other, can… [more]

When a non-custodial parent lives far away from his or her child, it can be hard to stay connected to that child, and be a real part of his or her life. Phone calls can be cut short by custodial parents, or may not even be answered at all. One of the many ways to stay connected to your child, even when a custodial parent is trying to push the non-custodial parent out of the child’s life, is to send a tape of your voice to the child. All children love to receive mail, and having that package be a tape of the non-custodial parent’s voice is an even bigger treat. Making an audiotape of you reading a story to your child, and then sending both… [more]

It is tough to really get to know your child as a non-custodial parent. Especially when you are dealing with a custodial parent whom is trying to the non-custodial parent out of the child’s life. Without the day-to-day interactions with the child, it is hard for the non-custodial parent to really know what the child is into, and what he or she enjoys. When the non-custodial parent does have contact with the child, it is important to remember to ask questions such as “what cartoons do you like to watch” or “what is your favorite TV show?” “Is red still your favorite color?” And “What’s your favorite toy right now?” These types of questions will help to keep the non-custodial parent involved with… [more]

If you are a non-custodial parent whom is unfairly being pushed out of your child’s life, you are more than likely frustrated with the lack of help from local police and court systems. Many local police departments do not want to get involved in custody disputes, often leaving a non-custodial parent with no power to enforce his or her visitation rights. While it can be hard to maintain contact with your child, if the custodial parent is trying to alienate the non-custodial parent from the child, there are things that can be done, to help maintain the relationship between the child and the non-custodial parent. In this article we are going to discuss using cell phones to stay in touch with your child. Many custodial parents… [more]