The “best interests of the child” is a phrase often used by courts when deciding matters concerning children. What does it really mean? In Michigan, it is defined by statute (MCL 722.23) as:
(a) The love, affection, and other emotional ties existing between the parties involved and the child.
(b) The capacity and disposition of the parties involved to give the child love, affection, and guidance and to continue the education and raising of the child in his or her religion or creed, if any.
(c) The capacity and disposition of the parties involved to provide the child with food, clothing, medical care or other remedial care recognized and permitted under the laws of this state in place of medical care, and other material needs.
(d) The length of time the child has lived in a stable, satisfactory environment, and the desirability of maintaining continuity.
(e) The permanence, as a family unit, of the existing or proposed custodial home or homes.
(f) The moral fitness of the parties involved.
(g) The mental and physical health of the parties involved.
(h) The home, school, and community record of the child.
(i) The reasonable preference of the child, if the court considers the child to be of sufficient age to express preference.
(j) The willingness and ability of each of the parties to facilitate and encourage a close and continuing parent-child relationship between the child and the other parent or the child and the parents.
(k) Domestic violence, regardless of whether the violence was directed against or witnessed by the child.
(l) Any other factor considered by the court to be relevant to a particular child custody dispute.
When there is a dispute concerning the child, the court must use these factors to decide the outcome. The factors are often used to determine custody, but they are important in other disputes, such as changes in parenting time, which school a child attends, religious upbringing, and similar matters.
The court may weigh the factors differently, so a parent could be favored by more factors but the court considers them to be less important, and rule in favor of the other parent. For example, suppose the parent with primary custody asks the court’s permission to move a great distance away, and the court feels that the move would be very harmful to the child’s relationship with the other parent. In that case, the court could decide that this factor is more important than all of the others and deny the request to move.
When there is a dispute before the court, one should try to determine which factors are the most important and be sure to address them in arguments before the court. The other factors should also be considered to avoid any surprises. In preparing for a dispute and evaluating the factors, a party may come to the conclusion that the other side is favored by the factors. In such a case, it may be better to try to settle the matter to produce the best outcome rather than risk an adverse decision by the court. If you are represented by an attorney, provide him/her with as much information as possible to assist with your representation. (If you omit telling your attorney something important, your case will suffer.)
About the Author
Jonathan Warshay attywarshay@allvantage.com www.warshaylawfirm.50megs.comAbout the author: Jonathan Warshay is a former Friend of the Court Staff Attorney now in private practice. He specializes in family law (support, custody, paternity, divorce and parenting time) and district court (traffic and misdemeanors) matters. He is experienced with the Michigan Child Support Formula (guidelines).
Source: ArticleTrader.com
Monday, March 19, 2007
Bedwetting Alarm
A Bedwetting alarm is for the children who use to wet the bed while sleeping. A bedwetting alarm consists of a moisture-sensitive sensor and electronic audio/vibratory alarm. Moisture Sensitive Sensor is placed on a sleeping child’s underwear and electronic audio/vibrating alarm is placed near the child’s head. When the child passes the urine while sleeping, the first drop is sensed by moisture- sensitive sensor and alarm is made which give enough time to child to go to bathroom and pass the urine instead of wetting the bed.
One should be careful while choosing the bedwetting alarms. Some of the points, which should be kept in mind while buying bedwetting alarms, are: -
The bedwetting alarm should be comfortable for the child to wear.
Bedwetting alarm should be durable and reliable.
Right level of sensitivity should be there in bedwetting alarm.
Bedwetting alarm should be hygienic to use.
It should be easy to use.
A bedwetting alarm is considered to be the most effective solution of avoiding the child wetting the bed. But it can be only be useful with the full participation of your child. Parents should teach the child how to use bedwetting alarm.
Some of the common problems associated with bedwetting alarm are:-
Child wakes up and switch off the alarm and goes back to sleep.
False alarms sometimes occur
Batteries can be low.
Bedwetting alarm can be used at the best with the full participation of child and parents otherwise it’s a complete waste of money. Some of the Bedwetting Alarm Manufacturers are Wet-Stop Alarm, Potty Pager, Nytone Alarm, Nite Train'r Alarm etc.
Bedwetting Alarm gives the detailed information about bedwetting alarms.
About the Author
Bedwetting Alarm gives the detailed information about bedwetting alarms.
Source: ArticleTrader.com
One should be careful while choosing the bedwetting alarms. Some of the points, which should be kept in mind while buying bedwetting alarms, are: -
The bedwetting alarm should be comfortable for the child to wear.
Bedwetting alarm should be durable and reliable.
Right level of sensitivity should be there in bedwetting alarm.
Bedwetting alarm should be hygienic to use.
It should be easy to use.
A bedwetting alarm is considered to be the most effective solution of avoiding the child wetting the bed. But it can be only be useful with the full participation of your child. Parents should teach the child how to use bedwetting alarm.
Some of the common problems associated with bedwetting alarm are:-
Child wakes up and switch off the alarm and goes back to sleep.
False alarms sometimes occur
Batteries can be low.
Bedwetting alarm can be used at the best with the full participation of child and parents otherwise it’s a complete waste of money. Some of the Bedwetting Alarm Manufacturers are Wet-Stop Alarm, Potty Pager, Nytone Alarm, Nite Train'r Alarm etc.
Bedwetting Alarm gives the detailed information about bedwetting alarms.
About the Author
Bedwetting Alarm gives the detailed information about bedwetting alarms.
Source: ArticleTrader.com
When it's YOUR Child's health, shouldn't it be a NATURAL Choice?
When most people think of health, what comes to mind is usually basic information that's not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there's a lot more to health than just the basics.
Natural Health Medicine And Your Child's Health
Natural health medicine is the option to choose as it has hardly any side effects, which are far more common in medicines that contain concentrated chemical compounds. In addition to reducing side-effects, natural health medicine will also provide the best protection for your child's immune system so that it will strengthen.
This is why parents are now starting to emphasize healthy choices at young ages; they realize that this will encourage their children to replicate this behavior later on in life when they make choices.
We all know that children need to be active, as that is the best way that they learn. So when you give them natural health medicine when they are ill, you will be helping them get onto their feet as soon as possible.
If your health facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions' Make certain you don't let important health information slip by you.
Because natural health medicine also helps boost the immune system and it also strengthens the immune system, your children will have the energy they need to learn life's lessons.
They will also have energy to do all the things that they want to do, since their bodies will be equipped to handle any of the challenges that they might be setting for themselves.
It is always a wonderful feeling as a parent to know that you are indeed doing the best to ensure your child's health in the best way possible.
Natural health medicine will help you give your children the best start in life that they need. And when they are healthy and happy, they are able to be function at their optimum both at school and when playing at home with friends.
Maybe it is about time that you gave natural medicine a chance to help to keep your child healthy.
If you've picked some pointers about health that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won't really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don't use it.
About the Author
Keith Woolley is the Technical Director of Boots Herbal Stores Ltd.
Source: ArticleTrader.com
Natural Health Medicine And Your Child's Health
Natural health medicine is the option to choose as it has hardly any side effects, which are far more common in medicines that contain concentrated chemical compounds. In addition to reducing side-effects, natural health medicine will also provide the best protection for your child's immune system so that it will strengthen.
This is why parents are now starting to emphasize healthy choices at young ages; they realize that this will encourage their children to replicate this behavior later on in life when they make choices.
We all know that children need to be active, as that is the best way that they learn. So when you give them natural health medicine when they are ill, you will be helping them get onto their feet as soon as possible.
If your health facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions' Make certain you don't let important health information slip by you.
Because natural health medicine also helps boost the immune system and it also strengthens the immune system, your children will have the energy they need to learn life's lessons.
They will also have energy to do all the things that they want to do, since their bodies will be equipped to handle any of the challenges that they might be setting for themselves.
It is always a wonderful feeling as a parent to know that you are indeed doing the best to ensure your child's health in the best way possible.
Natural health medicine will help you give your children the best start in life that they need. And when they are healthy and happy, they are able to be function at their optimum both at school and when playing at home with friends.
Maybe it is about time that you gave natural medicine a chance to help to keep your child healthy.
If you've picked some pointers about health that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won't really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don't use it.
About the Author
Keith Woolley is the Technical Director of Boots Herbal Stores Ltd.
Source: ArticleTrader.com
8 Tips To Save On Child Care Costs
Child care costs are are one of the most expensive costs associated with going back to work. Finding ways to cut down on child care costs without sacrificing quality child care is a top priority for all working parents. Here are a few ideas that can help trim your child care costs without sacrificing child care quality:
See if your employer has a child care flexible spending account. This is a special account that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw87.html - created that allows you to set aside money for child care expenses with pre-tax dollars. You ask your employer to take out a certain amount of money each month from your paycheck and you can use this money tax free for child care related expenses.
Inquire if your company has partnerships or offers discounts for certain child care provider services. some larger companies will sometimes negotiate discount plans with local child care providers to help offset child care costs.
See if your public school district offers a half day pre-kindergarten program for 4-year-olds. These programs are usually free and by signing-up your child, it will reduce your child care needs to a half day from a full day.
Check to see if your employer would be open to flex hours, job sharing or telecommuting. If so, you may be able to use these to juggle your schedule and cut your child care costs.
If both you and your spouse work, see if it's possible to arrange your work schedules so they overlap as little as possible. This will allow you to reduce the number of hours your child has to spend at child care.
See if there is a relative or good friend that can help with child care.
Consider hiring a nanny and sharing the cost of child care with a few good friends. This will allow you to pay less individually for child care costs and the nanny will make more money overall.
About the Author
Copyright Jeffrey Strain. He is owner of http://www.savingadvice.com- a website dedicated to saving you money.
Source: ArticleTrader.com
See if your employer has a child care flexible spending account. This is a special account that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw87.html - created that allows you to set aside money for child care expenses with pre-tax dollars. You ask your employer to take out a certain amount of money each month from your paycheck and you can use this money tax free for child care related expenses.
Inquire if your company has partnerships or offers discounts for certain child care provider services. some larger companies will sometimes negotiate discount plans with local child care providers to help offset child care costs.
See if your public school district offers a half day pre-kindergarten program for 4-year-olds. These programs are usually free and by signing-up your child, it will reduce your child care needs to a half day from a full day.
Check to see if your employer would be open to flex hours, job sharing or telecommuting. If so, you may be able to use these to juggle your schedule and cut your child care costs.
If both you and your spouse work, see if it's possible to arrange your work schedules so they overlap as little as possible. This will allow you to reduce the number of hours your child has to spend at child care.
See if there is a relative or good friend that can help with child care.
Consider hiring a nanny and sharing the cost of child care with a few good friends. This will allow you to pay less individually for child care costs and the nanny will make more money overall.
About the Author
Copyright Jeffrey Strain. He is owner of http://www.savingadvice.com- a website dedicated to saving you money.
Source: ArticleTrader.com
Guide to Treating a Child’s Headache
Brain is most important part of your body, needed to think and perform your work perfectly; a headache sometimes paralyzes you completely and jams the daily routine. Recognizing your child’s headache and treating it, takes special attention and effort. You may not be always able to diagnose immediately his headache as kids of different age group can have different reasons of headache.
Treating Your Child’s Headache
Whenever your child have headache first and foremost thing which needs to be done is to get to the actual cause of the headache and jot up right remedy for it. There are large numbers of causes of a child’s headache, and each one has a distinctly different remedy. For example, if your child hits his or her head on something resulting in a headache, you may need to rush to a doctor, in order to ensure that the headache is not due to internal injuries.
Poor eyesight can also be major causes of child’s headaches. Parents don’t realize it until the child vision gets really bad and he or she complains that the vision is blurred. Your child’s headache can also be caused by stress or another existing medical condition for which drugs are being administered. Finding the real cause of headache can really help to find the right remedy without having any side effects.
Headache Medication for Children
A headache medication can be accessed without a prescription too if you really know the cause and right kind of medicine to take. You must pay attention to the indication written on the back of the medicine pack and never overdose your child to eradicate child’s headache as soon as possible. If the headache persists even after taking the maximum dose prescribed on the drug bottle, you should consult a doctor.
Natural remedies such as homeopathic drugs and herbs can be other ways of treating a child’s headache. Natural remedies like Acupuncture can also work miracles when done regularly. These natural remedies for headaches are not only available for all ages, but they are also becoming more popular everyday because they have no side effects and sometimes it work quicker than the traditional medications.
Helpful Tips
Educate yourself about your child’s present health state; in order to know precisely why he or she is suffering from headaches and what would be the best remedy for them. Remember that even child’s headache medications can have side effects such as, diarrhea and nausea. Therefore it should be administered with plenty of fluids and eatables.
About the Author
Richard Romando is an expert of giving information about Child Depression and Chamomile.
Source: ArticleTrader.com
Treating Your Child’s Headache
Whenever your child have headache first and foremost thing which needs to be done is to get to the actual cause of the headache and jot up right remedy for it. There are large numbers of causes of a child’s headache, and each one has a distinctly different remedy. For example, if your child hits his or her head on something resulting in a headache, you may need to rush to a doctor, in order to ensure that the headache is not due to internal injuries.
Poor eyesight can also be major causes of child’s headaches. Parents don’t realize it until the child vision gets really bad and he or she complains that the vision is blurred. Your child’s headache can also be caused by stress or another existing medical condition for which drugs are being administered. Finding the real cause of headache can really help to find the right remedy without having any side effects.
Headache Medication for Children
A headache medication can be accessed without a prescription too if you really know the cause and right kind of medicine to take. You must pay attention to the indication written on the back of the medicine pack and never overdose your child to eradicate child’s headache as soon as possible. If the headache persists even after taking the maximum dose prescribed on the drug bottle, you should consult a doctor.
Natural remedies such as homeopathic drugs and herbs can be other ways of treating a child’s headache. Natural remedies like Acupuncture can also work miracles when done regularly. These natural remedies for headaches are not only available for all ages, but they are also becoming more popular everyday because they have no side effects and sometimes it work quicker than the traditional medications.
Helpful Tips
Educate yourself about your child’s present health state; in order to know precisely why he or she is suffering from headaches and what would be the best remedy for them. Remember that even child’s headache medications can have side effects such as, diarrhea and nausea. Therefore it should be administered with plenty of fluids and eatables.
About the Author
Richard Romando is an expert of giving information about Child Depression and Chamomile.
Source: ArticleTrader.com
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Finding the Right Health Insurance for Children and Students
Both children and students require health insurance coverage. Finding the right plan for your child can be a tedious, but not impossible process if you have some help.
Health Insurance for Children
The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which is a plan called Title XXI, was passed by Congress in 1997. SCHIP was approved in order to deal with the growing number of children in the United States who did not have any kind of health insurance. The incomes of many American families were high enough that they wouldn't get approved for Medicaid. However, their incomes still weren't that large to enable them to afford private health insurance policies for their children. With the SCHIP coverage, a family is charged only 5% of their gross income. Many are even able to receive it free of cost.
The policies for health insurance plans for children differ from one state to another. However, all states are mandated to provide coverage for a minimum healthy baby and healthy child physicals, immunizations and emergency services that a child may need in the future.
If you already have a health insurance policy for your child, be it under your group insurance plan or any other insurance plan you have, your child does not qualify for the state's coverage.
Do some research if you discover that your children are not eligible for state coverage. Oftentimes it may be more economical if you get a policy that covers your entire family. It is certainly better than having each of your children covered by individual policies. However, you can go for an individual policy if you only have one child.
Health Insurance for Students
Most universities have a health care clinic where students can go for minor ailments. However, you cannot, and shouldn't, rely solely on university and school owned clinics to take care of your child's health and well-being. You need to get a health insurance plan for your child that will cover any emergencies and surgeries.
As a student, your child has several options for health insurance coverage. The best option is to have your child covered by your policy. Most family group heath insurance plans will provide coverage for your child as long as he or she is attending school and is actively enrolled. Ask your insurance agent if any changes need to be made on your policy with regards to your child's health insurance coverage, and if this is possible at all.
If you need an individual student health insurance policy for your child, there are many choices available to you. However, be careful in choosing the policy. Conduct some due diligence on your part by researching, gathering information and comparing policies. Exactly what kind of coverage do you need? What's the maximum amount of coverage do you need? What about the deductibles? Don't hesitate to ask questions whenever you have some doubts or you don't understand something. Get to know what an insurance health company will cover and what it won't cover for your child. If you are sending your child to school in another country, ask if you need to pay extra for the period your child is overseas. Investigate and carefully choose a policy to ensure that your child's college life won't be riddled with problems when it comes to their health insurance.
Health Insurance for Children
The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which is a plan called Title XXI, was passed by Congress in 1997. SCHIP was approved in order to deal with the growing number of children in the United States who did not have any kind of health insurance. The incomes of many American families were high enough that they wouldn't get approved for Medicaid. However, their incomes still weren't that large to enable them to afford private health insurance policies for their children. With the SCHIP coverage, a family is charged only 5% of their gross income. Many are even able to receive it free of cost.
The policies for health insurance plans for children differ from one state to another. However, all states are mandated to provide coverage for a minimum healthy baby and healthy child physicals, immunizations and emergency services that a child may need in the future.
If you already have a health insurance policy for your child, be it under your group insurance plan or any other insurance plan you have, your child does not qualify for the state's coverage.
Do some research if you discover that your children are not eligible for state coverage. Oftentimes it may be more economical if you get a policy that covers your entire family. It is certainly better than having each of your children covered by individual policies. However, you can go for an individual policy if you only have one child.
Health Insurance for Students
Most universities have a health care clinic where students can go for minor ailments. However, you cannot, and shouldn't, rely solely on university and school owned clinics to take care of your child's health and well-being. You need to get a health insurance plan for your child that will cover any emergencies and surgeries.
As a student, your child has several options for health insurance coverage. The best option is to have your child covered by your policy. Most family group heath insurance plans will provide coverage for your child as long as he or she is attending school and is actively enrolled. Ask your insurance agent if any changes need to be made on your policy with regards to your child's health insurance coverage, and if this is possible at all.
If you need an individual student health insurance policy for your child, there are many choices available to you. However, be careful in choosing the policy. Conduct some due diligence on your part by researching, gathering information and comparing policies. Exactly what kind of coverage do you need? What's the maximum amount of coverage do you need? What about the deductibles? Don't hesitate to ask questions whenever you have some doubts or you don't understand something. Get to know what an insurance health company will cover and what it won't cover for your child. If you are sending your child to school in another country, ask if you need to pay extra for the period your child is overseas. Investigate and carefully choose a policy to ensure that your child's college life won't be riddled with problems when it comes to their health insurance.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Psychologically Distressed Children More Likely To Be Involved In Bullying
Bullying by elementary school children was associated with increased odds of lacking a feeling of safety while at school, having lower academic achievement, and feeling sad most days, according to an article in the November issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
According to background information in the article, "Bullying is defined as any repeated negative activity or aggression intended to harm or bother someone who is perceived by peers as being less physically or psychologically powerful than the aggressor(s)." In a 2000 survey of more than 15,000 U.S. students, researchers found the prevalence of bullying involvement among teens and preteens was approximately 30 percent. Concerns about the role of bullying in school violence, depression, and health concerns have grown over the past decade.
Gwen M. Glew, M.D., of the University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues surveyed 3,530 third, fourth, and fifth grade students to determine prevalence of bullying and its association with attendance, academic achievement, suspension or expulsion, and self-reported feelings of sadness, safety and belonging. Students were classified as victims, bullies, bully-victims (those who were both victimized and bullied others), bystanders (children who did not bully others and were not bullied by others) and nonresponders.
Twenty-two percent of the children surveyed reported being involved in bullying, either as a victim, bully, or both. Six percent of the children reported being bullied "always," 14 percent said they bullied others, and two percent said they both bullied and were bullied. All three bullying-involved groups-either as a victim, bully or bully-victim-were significantly more likely than bystanders to feel unsafe at school. Among students who reported feeling as though they did not belong at school, their odds of being a victim were 4.1 times higher than those who felt they belonged at school; their odds of being a bully was 3.1 times higher than those saying they belonged. Bullies and victims were more likely than bystanders to feel sad most days. Both bullies and bully-victims were more likely to be male.
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