DAILYFACTVIEW

The Parenting Plan is the parental agreement setting out how the children will be cared for between separated parents. Most broadly, it stipulates the residential arrangement and how decisions shall be made affecting the child. The parenting plan may also include agreements with regard to extra-curricular activities, education, faith and health. If there are particular needs or wants by either parent or regarding the child specifically those can be included too. Essentially, the Parenting Plan is the road map that separated parents will follow for the raising of their kids. The objective in detailing a Parenting Plan is to provide as smooth a parentingpath to follow as possible so your children can enjoy a meaningful relationship with both parents to achieve a good developmental outcome – be a well rounded person who gets along with others and is successful in life. While some parents may fret the details of the plan, the most important determinant to how well children of separ...

Most couples believe they need better communication skills and that would change their relationship for the better. They claim that they either argue because of misunderstandings or that one or the other don’t discuss their problems openly. Communication (or lack of it) is often NOT the problem Most couples have re-hashed issues over and over and they know what their partner’s position is. The issue is often that they do not accept the partner’s position and are “trying” to get them to change to see their side. And we know how that usually goes; right? It does not happen. So often communication problems will boil down to “they are not listening to me or they would change their behavior”; or “they don’t care enough about me to change”. Neither of these thought processes are helpful to building and sustaining a fabulous relationship. Breakdowns in communication are often the way in which each partner successfully maintains a balance of power. Power and control issues usually ex...

Whether you have been married for only a brief period of time, many years, or even decades, you want your marriage to be the best that it can be! You may have encountered some serious difficulties in your marriage, or you may simply wish to improve what is already a good relationship. The good news is you do not need to be content with wishing-- you CAN reconstruct your marriage. There are likely things that you and your spouse would like to see different in order to be happier together. What’s holding you back? Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes… they’re essential for marital harmony. But, what is so difficult about change? Change is challenging because it requires conquering and retraining your brain, which rigidly maintains the status quo. Your brain controls the very behaviors that are unhealthy for your union, despite your desire for a happier marriage. Doomed? Hardly. You’ve got science on your side. Use the fascinating research and discoveries of neuroscience and neuroplasticity to h...

There is a pervasive myth that somehow happy couples just agree on everything automatically all the time. Believing this myth, we enter relationships convinced that whatever problems or differences we have with our partners will be easy to solve. But, in reality, the individuals who make up a partnership will disagree frequently, and often struggle over even minor issues. In the course of building and sustaining a lifetime relationship, every couple encounters many problems. Different backgrounds and experience, discordant perception of each other and events, unequal rates of education and growth, conflicting needs for self-expression and contact, and differing values and beliefs about relationships complicate and often block attempts at creating partnership together. If you or your partner believe you have to "win" in a relationship, you'll tend to compete rather than cooperate. Earlier in life, you may have learned to believe that if you aren't the best, don...

Our relationship with ourselves is our first and most fundamental relationship: all other relationships flow from that. So the most powerful thing you can do is to love yourself unconditionally and allow that to flow into your relationships. Two of the core issues underlying relationship stress are a lack of self-love and low self-worth. Therefore, the absolute starting point for healing and transforming your relationships is to grow self-love and self-worth. However many struggle with this, and do so for three main reasons: 1. The belief it is selfish to love yourself. 2. Self-judgements that say you are not lovable. 3. Not knowing how to do it. Let’s look at each of these briefly: A . It is Selfish to Love Myself Many of us have been conditioned into believing that it is better to put others first and we are being selfish if we put ourselves first. And a lot of judgement goes along with being selfish. This conditioning can then be projected on to the idea of loving yourself...

We often strive to create healthy and satisfying relationships . But sometimes, despite how much we may try, we're unable to do so.  When this happens, here are four things we can do to bring our best selves to our relationships, and in turn, bring about the positive change we seek. Get to Know Yourself . To be your best self in your personal relationships you need to develop your awareness of yourself.  What do you value?  What do you dream of?  What are your strengths?  Where are the skills you want to exhibit?    When we ask ourselves these kinds of questions we grow our awareness of ourselves and we can use that awareness to create relationships that are beneficial for everyone involved.  Sometimes our personal relationships hit a rough patch. When this happens, your awareness will clue you into how you might be contributing to the difficulty at hand and whether or not that ...

There are times when one will meet someone without knowing anything about them and then there are other times when this won’t be the case. In this instance, one will have heard about the other before person they have even met them. When this happens, one can feel as though they already know the other person, and even though they haven’t met them, they may feel the need to behave in a certain way. And the way in which they behave can all depend on how the other person describes them. First Impression This can mean that their first impression of the other person won’t be formed through being in their presence; it will be formed through listening to what other people say. It then might not matter how accurate their descriptions are, as one can believe they are finding out what someone is like. However, if one hears what other people have to say and then decides to come to their own conclusion, they might be able see for themselves. But, this doesn’t mean they won’t...

Despite marriage becoming old fashioned and undesirable to some there are still those who believe in love, romance, commitment and that all important piece of paper that tells their partner that they at least started off with the best of intentions. With a third of marriages ending in divorceand many of those that do not end in divorcegoing wrong in other ways even though the two people stay together it is very important we do everything we can to make sure that we choose the right partner. Whichever partner we pick there are going to be things about them and their situation we love and others that are negative, that is life, but we can at least ensure that we maximise the positive things and minimise the negative ones. Marrying a single parent has it's own issues and whether they will disturb us or please us will depend very much on our own backgrounds, personalities, lifestyles and whether or not we have children too. The age of the partner...

In today’s modern society, being healthy is a major challenge. All around, you’ll discover a lot of unhealthy habits, diets, and influences which will surely take a toll on your well-being. Convenience is among the major culprits as a lot of the things today may be carried out with a push of a button. It’s not any different with food. And thus, the fast food. Not only that, stress levels are also at their all-time high. Together with that, are excessive drinking, cigarette smoking, and lack of physical activity that all contribute to different kinds of health problems. Sure, it takes work to be healthy in today’s society but if you know what to expect and what to do, things is usually a good deal simpler. Here is what it takes to become healthier. Right reasons and motivation To begin with, you must have the right reasons. Even when you choose to implement an effective fitness program, when you don’t have the right reasons to do this, it would be to no avail. Som...

When you're experiencing that your own personal relationships are having dire straits, you're definitely not alone. In order to save your relationship together with your companion, it is advisable to go back to the beginning and work forward from there. There have to have always been something that attracted yourself to your spouse from the beginning. Revisit those earlier period of your partnership as well as luxuriate with the fire and vividness that accompanied all these 1st experiences. At this instant, imagine a tad bit more with regards to those initial occasions. Had the two of you placed efforts on constructing a foundation to grow upon or both of you were just "playing it by ear"? These types of early days, weekends, as well as several months of passionwould fade consequently. Your loving relationship will go on long-term on condition that you develop communal hobbies, reverence for the other person and ...

At times being a stepfather can be a rewarding, challenging and disappointing experience. Like with any other endeavor worth pursuing you have to be intentional about being a great stepfather. To be a great stepfather requires maturity, perseverance and commitment. Underlying these attributes must be a strong marriage where there is unity of purpose regarding raising the children between the husband and wife. Anything less than singular agreement will weaken the stepfather's role within the family. While each stepfamily has its own unique dynamics and circumstances there are three things you can do to ensure you're a great stepfather. Focus on Your Marriage. Statistics show one of the main causes of divorce in blended families is the stress of step parenting. As much as possible focus on your wife and marriageand not the children. This will ultimately benefit everyone including the children. If the children see love, respect and open communication between you and your spouse, ...

Every member of your family has a right to have his or her opinions respected. You don’t have to agree or go along with what your child wants, but you should at least know what it is, and your child should know why you're overriding his or her preferences. Regular family meetings, where everyone including the children expresses feelings, negative and positive, and all of you work together to solve problems, can help a lot. Begin family meetings as soon as possible, whether you think you have any issues to discuss or not. Choose a time when everyone can get together weekly, and suggest to everyone that you order pizza, or cook something they like. Sit down on a weekly basis with your family, and discuss everything about your relationship, positive and problematic, and how it’s going for each of you. If you have small children, include them and get their input, also. Begin the session with a brief prayer or blessing, and a round of compliments, where each member gives a compliment...

The reality of how much time and thought you give to your familyis of course in many ways a unique question that can only be answered by the individual themselves. The reason it is so important is because in a significant number of cases the amount of focus that an individual puts on the familyis either determined by someone else or driven by a degree of guilt or expectation that is derived from outside themselves. When talking about a family, it is perhaps of value to distinguish between a family of birth or a family that an individual grows up in, and a family that an individual makes for themselves of any nature. The family that an individual makes for themselves is perhaps the easier one to answer the question for. Any individual who enters a relationship with another individual and perhaps has children and extended family as part of that will of necessity be taking on additional responsibilities that they themselves have chosen. This sense of responsibility will inevitably dete...

This question obviously applies mainly to people who have their own children, but can equally apply to people who as children are aware of their own upbringing, and can also apply to how an individual treats other people in his life who he effectively has some responsibility for, either at work or in some other type of social context. The issue is perhaps clearer when referred to an individuals own children, but has a very important focus in terms of how an individual relates to any group of people who he has responsibility for. Any parent is likely to at some level have mixed feelings between the need to let their children have the freedom to grow and develop and be themselves, and at another level be moved to be overprotective and maybe dominate them either in order to keep them safe or to keep them close to the parent, especially if the familydynamic is not a particularly healthy one. The issue of whether or not an individual guides or dominates their children opens up the questio...

Even though you may see your child every day, it's always a bit challenging to find enough time in the day to spend with him or her. As a dad, it is important to make sure that in the time that you are able to spend with your child that you pass down the different skills that have shaped you into the person that you are today. While your child may not think you're the coolest person in the world, there is still a lot that they can learn from their dear old dad. These 6 skills are just a few things that every father should teach his child. Listening Skills This can be a tough one for children, but with help from their dad, they can develop great listening skills. While it seems like kids are always talking, it is important for them to grasp the concept of listening and paying attention to others. Dads can teach this skill by establishing one simple rule. When in a conversation, never interrupt another person and be sure to use your ears a little bit more than you use your mout...

One of the ways in which children develop positive self-esteemis by being listened to. Not just kind of hearing what they have to say, but really tuning in and connecting with what they're saying and how they feel. When children feel valued in this way, it does wonders for how they see themselves in the world. Here are three powerful ways to listen to your child: ​Listen with your EYES ​Look into your child's eyes whenever possible when he/she is speaking to you. This shows your child that he/she has your full attention and that you're really focussed on what they're saying. Listen with your EARS Really hear what your child is telling you. You can ask questions such as "What made you feel that way?" or "Why do you think that happened?" to help you focus more on listening to your child. Also, by extending the conversation with these questions, your child feels heard by you. Listen with your HEART Put yourself in your child's feel and try to ...

A person’s career success depends on several factors, but essentially, you need to have dedication and commitment if you want to enjoy the career you’ve always wanted to pursue. On the other hand, having a fulfilling life outside work is another thing and requires more effort and consistency. While many of us are able to be successful in their careers, many are also struggling to find the balance between the two, especially those who have a marriage and familylife to think about. If you and your spouse are career-oriented and you both want to keep a harmonious relationship and would like to raise your kids in a loving environment, you’ve got a lot of work to do. Here are some tips for you: 1. Set your business and familygoals. More important than anything is how you and your partner identify your goals. If you haven’t talked about your goals, both individually and as a couple, then this is the right time to do it. Put into writing all your family, career and marriagegoals. 2. Ackno...

Alright ladies, we know your husband is your Mr. Incredible. We know that some days you just stare at him in awe that you convinced this super-hero of a husband to marry you (okay, let's be honest, you're equally his Mrs. Incredible!). This list is going to make you smile and remember, once again, that you are one lucky girl. So, what are the things your husband does that win the universe in your eyes? 1. He thinks of others before he thinks of himself In particular, he thinks of you before he thinks of himself. It's pretty obvious. Just think back to the other night, when he brought home his piece of chocolate cake for you, in a to-go box. Then think of all the never-ending grocery runs, the late nights when he was the one up with crying kids, and the fact that he never once whined when you burnt dinner. Oh, and then there was the unforgettable time that he stayed home from his golf trip so that he could support you at your awards dinner at work. That man of yours, if h...

A basic cause of all relationship conflict is the gap between your beliefs of how relationships should be and the reality that exists right here, right now. Whenever you find yourself arguing or in conflict, look deeply at what is going on and you will find this gap. Every time you make the other person wrong about something, the gap is there. Whenever you blame them for something you will find the gap. Every time you try to get them to change in some way there is the gap. Whenever you feel that the relationship is not meeting your expectations, the gap is there. So the first trap is resistance to the reality right in front of you and is the essence of all the arguments. You will find that you are resisting the reality right in front of you because it does not conform to what you imagine it should be like. Humans tend to confuse their beliefs with truth. When you hold a belief about how things should be that becomes your truth, and if reality does not conform to it, the temptation is ...

Parenting is one of the most remarkable experiences one can have. No one prepares for it. The skills develop as you go along. This is because every child brings on a different experience but raising children requires the similar adopted methods. However, as parents, we sometimes make the mistakes. Here are three mistakes parents (sometimes) make: Parents do not want their child/children to see them as a failure Things may be tough career wise or family. As parents, we often put up a façade and behave as if everything is okay. We do not want our children to see us fail. We behave as if we always have everything together in place. It may be that you lost your job, yet you lie to your child/children that you are taking time off work. It may be that you are facing financial challenges and you do not want them to see you fail. You think that letting your children no will mean failure. Over Pamper Children We sometimes over pamper our children. We do this to hide our insecurities or to ...