DADS and MOMS of Michigan eNewsletter
July 2007
We thank you for all of your support this year. We are having a wonderful 2007 so far, expanding programs and our outreach. We are gearing up for the Rally in Washington, DC on August 18 and Dream Cruise booth on August 18 for those that are unable to join us in DC.
Dads and Moms of Michigan has strengthened its focus on education to expand education programs around the state. For information and to help, call 248-559-DADS (3237).
Sign up for our eNewsletter at www.dadsofmichigan.org
Dads and Moms University Presents
DADS OF MICHIGAN FAMILY FORUM
BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY HOUSE,
380 S BATES, BIRMINGHAM,MI 48009
| 7:00 - 7:30: |
Dads Presentation |
| 7:30 - 8:30: |
Guest Speaker |
| 8:30 - 9:30: |
LEGAL ROUNDTABLE |
| For information, call 248-559 DADS (3237) |
AUGUST: Tues, August 7th, 7pm - The Dads Panel
SEPTEMBER: Tues Sept 11th, 7pm - Psychologists' Night
OCTOBER: Tues Oct 2, 7pm - Oakland County Referee L. Savin
Summer Recess: Education Seminars - (2nd Tuesday of each month from 7:00 - 9:00 pm); we will be taking a break for the summer.
Dads and Moms of Michigan University (DMU) has planned a series of programs for 2007. We have launched parent education programs the 2nd Tuesday of each month. We are expanding resources for Dads, Moms, Stepparents, Grandparents, and in the Moms of Michigan and Parenting forums to provide more resources for both Parents.
Bike Marathon to Washington, DC, August 11 and 18
http://daddy.typepad.com/daddyblog/2007/04/robert_and_rob_.html
Robb MacKenzie and Robert Pederson are trekking from Lansing, MI (August 11) to arrive in Washington on August 18. Be there!!! This story is picking up steam and we need your help. The purpose of the Equal Parenting Bike Trek is to focus on the parenting attitude in U.S. Courts and family services, Department of Health and Human Services, government intervention into family, and government run family. The Lansing launch on August 11 will lead to lots of excitement at the Washington, D.C. Rally on August 18. http://www.dcrally2007.com/
Welcome to the DCRally
AUGUST 18, 2007 http://www.dcrally2007.com/
We meet in Washington DC, to peacefully exercise our first amendment right to assemble and to respectfully petition our government for a redress of grievances. Our grievances relate to governmental interference with and the destruction of our nation's family structure. DCRally 2007 will take place at the historic site of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.
Transportation from Michigan
Brian Kleiman should be congratulated for showing the leadership in reserving this first-class bus and all of the particular details. The price of the bus was divided by the number of seats and that is how Brian Kleiman came up with the figure of $131.00 per seat. There will be no need for a hotel room because the bus will be in Washington, D.C. for roughly 12 hours and then start its return trip. Plenty of time to attend this historic event and a fun bus ride back with those who you will surely befriend.
The bus departs from Escabana, MI and has stops/breaks in St. Ignace, West Branch, Flint, Ann Arbor, Toledo Ohio and more. You can view the actual bus schedule and particulars here. All questions should be directed to Brian Kleiman blk3271@yahoo.com 906-399-1566.
www.dcrally2007.com/transportation/buses/index.php?cat=Michigan-and-Ohio
New Affiliate - DADS and MOMS of Michigan
We welcome West Michigan DADS affiliation and partnership. West Michigan DADS EDU and West Michigan DADS PAC have been Incorporated in the State of Michigan. Both organizations have received their Employer Identification Numbers. It will soon be necessary to establish Boards of Directors, please make your interest in Board Directorship known to me.
Bob Van Ee, Executive Director West Michigan DADS, BobV01@Yahoo.com
The 10 Talents of Parenting, by Lawrence J. Cohen, Ph.D.
For some people, parenting seems to come easily. They play, respond to children’s needs, understand children’s feelings and trust themselves. The rest of us need to work at it a bit more. But that’s OK, we don’t have to all be naturals. Each of us can develop those traits that will make us the parents we want to be.
http://parenting.parenthood.com/articles.html?article_id=9384&segment=parenthood
Parenthood.com http://www.parenthood.com/
Michigan Guide – Great Stuff to do with the Kids
http://www.greatstufftodo.com/
Having trouble finding things to do in Michigan with the children? This is a highly rated web site of things to do in SE Michigan.
MODEL PARENTING PLAN
CHICAGO, September 8, 2005 – The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers has developed and released a Model Parenting Plan that divorcing couples can use to map out their family’s post-divorce parenting issues.
The plan was developed by the AAML Commission to Study the American Law Institute Principles of Family Dissolution, and is aimed at addressing some of the practical, nuts-and-bolts issues that so frequently cause disputes among divorced couples. Parents can draft an individualized plan, preferably in consultation with their attorneys, using the form provided in the Model Parenting Plan.
The Model Parenting Plan addresses the myriad decisions parents must make on a daily basis for their children, including what schools and after-school programs the children will be enrolled in, how medical decisions will be made and by whom, and, in the event of a dispute between the parents, how the dispute will be resolved.
“These issues are best decided by the people who know the children best: their parents,” says Barbara Handschu, the Academy’s president and New York City and Buffalo matrimonial attorney. “So often, these decisions are made by judges or other people with little or no understanding of the children’s personalities or special needs. Families—even divorced families—work best when there is communication and advance planning. The Model Parenting Plan is aimed at facilitating both of those.”
The Plan currently includes a hard copy that parents can mark up as well as a CD that allows parents to customize the Plan and print out only the relevant sections. An accompanying booklet and DVD is scheduled to be released in the coming months.
The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers is comprised of the nation’s top 1,600 attorneys who are experts in divorce, prenuptial agreements, legal separation, annulment, custody, property valuations, support and the rights of unmarried cohabitants. The purpose of the Academy is to encourage the study, improve the practice, elevate the standards and advance the cause of matrimonial law to the end that the welfare of the family and society be preserved.
You can find DADS and MOMS of Michigan parenting plans at:
http://www.dadsofmichigan.org/legal.html#parentingplans
Split divorce: 'Collaborative divorce' helps people avoid judges, confrontation and drama
by Alison Roberts; The Sacramento Bee; January 14, 2006
"Collaborative divorce" sounds a little like "tea-party rumble," "peaceful war," "polite battle" -- pick your own contradictory pair.
But it is an up-and-coming way for couples to work together on taking apart their marriages.
When Lori and Bob Tricarico decided to divorce in 2004 after 16 years of marriage, they wanted to spare their daughters, then 12 and 10, from the fallout.
"They were very much our main concern; we wanted to go through the whole divorce process in a way that would be the least damaging for them," says Lori Tricarico, 40, talking by phone from her home in the Atlanta area.
The Tricaricos say they found the solution for their dissolution in a collaborative divorce. At the heart of the procedure is the belief that the old-school adversarial legal split leaves both spouses at a loss, in pocketbook and in spirit.
Find the rest of the article at:
www.aaml.org/files/public/Collaborative_Divorce_-_Sacramento_Bee_1-14-06.htm
Client Manual: Coparenting During and After Divorce - A Handbook for Parents
This Client Handbook issue of Family Advocate aids divorcing parents so that their children will continue to derive the benefit of nurturing, guidance, and support by both parents.
Articles focus on preparing children for the divorce; techniques for helping children accept the divorce and understand that their parents' love for them does not change; how parents can cope with their own feelings; suggestions on coparenting; using "time-out"; working with parenting coordinators, and much more.
http://www.abanet.org/abastore/index.cfm?section=main&fm=Product.AddToCart&pid=51311003001
TEN TIPS ON AVOIDING HEARTBROKEN MARRIAGES
http://www.aaml.org/
Chicago, IL, January 30, 2006 – As Valentine’s Day approaches, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), an organization comprised of the nation’s top 1,600 matrimonial attorneys, is offering ten tips to help prevent couples from entering into the heartbreaking process of divorce.
Shaped by decades of divorce experience, the advice is a result of a comprehensive survey of AAML members, in which it was concluded that there are several underlying factors that often lead to a final split. These general stressors include: poor communication, financial problems, a lack of commitment to the marriage, and changes in priorities. If a couple is willing to take the time and effort needed to recognize and correct these problems, then a breakup can ultimately be averted.
“Few individuals can truly comprehend the pain and distress wrought by divorce better than matrimonial lawyers,” said Cheryl Lynn Hepfer, president of the AAML. “Having seen so many heart wrenching cases up close, our organization decided to offer ten simple tips for married couples who might be experiencing the first signs of trouble or merely just looking for ways to maintain the loving relationship that they currently enjoy.”
The AAML offers the following ten tips to help strengthen marriage bonds or possibly diffuse any pressure points that could threaten the overall health of a union:
- Learn to listen, learn to hear one another.
- Don’t expect to get more from your spouse than you give of yourself.
- Don’t try to change your spouse; accept him/her “as is.”
- Treat your spouse like your best friend or most important colleague.
- Look at challenges in your lives as an opportunity to grow together.
- Learn to assess your own mistakes and openly acknowledge them.
- Learn to argue respectfully, without personal attacks.
- Don’t demean your spouse in public or private.
- Focus on resolving a problem, rather than trying to win an argument.
- Never lose your sense of humor and have fun together.
(The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers was founded in 1962, by highly regarded domestic relations attorneys “To encourage the study, improve the practice, elevate the standards and advance the cause of matrimonial law, to the end that the welfare of the family and society be protected.” There are currently almost 1600 Fellows in 50 states.) http://www.aaml.org/
This is a premier resource for legal research, finding a lawyer, and finding background information on people.
http://www.lexisone.com/news/family.html
http://www.lexisone.com/
DADS Merchandise
Consider ordering some DADS merchandise for your favorite DAD this holiday season. Soon we will be adding MOMS merchandise. Sorry Moms, Stepparents and Grandparents, you are as important.
http://www.dadsofmichigan.org/merchandise.html
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I will give Dads and Moms of Michigan through The Village Secretary 30 days written notice to cancel the use of my credit card for this purpose.
Customer Name: __________________________________________________
Cardholder Name: _________________________________________________
Cardholder Billing Address: __________________________________________
City/State/Zip: ____________________________________________________
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Fax to 248-559-5427 or call 248-559-3237
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Dads and Moms of Michigan (www.dadsofmichigan.org) includes Dads of Michigan, Moms of Michigan, and Dads of Michigan PAC. These are volunteer responsible parenthood education organizations for fathers and mothers. They instruct on the importance of involved biological parents to the successful development of their children. Dads of Michigan PAC is an independent volunteer political advocacy group dedicated to legislation keeping both biological parents actively engaged in the lives of their children despite divorce and custody, in most instances. They believe men and women should be viewed equally under the law and their credo is: "fathers are responsible parents too...because the best parent is both parents." Dads of Michigan, the Michigan affiliate of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children, is also the developer of the Dads and Moms University of responsible education for teenage, divorced, and unmarried parents. This educational program employs several features to either directly or indirectly benefit nearly 2 million men, women, and grandparents and just under one-half million children each year in Michigan. For more information, please contact us at (248) 559-DADS (3237) or email info@dadsofmichigan.org.
DADS and MOMS of Michigan Code of Ethics and Business Conduct.
"Fathers are responsible parents too...because the best parent is both parents"
