Strategies for Effective Co-Parenting

 

Co-Parenting
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As a privately practicing psychologist, Dr. Miriam Galindo has offered counseling in co-parenting to many families as they go through divorce. Dr. Miriam Galindo has also worked with the court system as a custody evaluator and co-leads family reunification and co-parenting courses through the Families in Transition program.

Co-parenting can be both emotionally and logistically difficult, as it requires two people to put aside a challenging and potentially intense history to make important decisions together. To succeed, the two parties must commit to open communication that is focused entirely on the children. This means finding a different outlet for frustrations about the other parent, particularly in conversations that the children may encounter.

When children are in earshot, parents must be careful to speak only in positive ways about the other parent. This guideline is applicable when speaking to the children as well as to the other parent, who is likely to be more receptive to parenting discussions if he or she does not feel accused or put down.

Meanwhile, it is important for co-parents to keep rules and expectations consistent across households. This provides the children with a crucial sense of stability and keeps them from taking advantage of what they may perceive as an unstable parenting situation.

Children will, however, be aware that things are different. Parents should answer their questions as freely as possible, when it is age-appropriate, and reassure them about things such as when they will change houses and whether the family dog will change houses with them.

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For Parents – What Not to Do during Child Custody Evaluations

 

Dr. Miriam Galindo
Image: galindopsychology.com

The holder of a doctorate in psychology, Dr. Miriam Galindo is a licensed clinical psychologist and social worker. Since 2005, Dr. Miriam Galindo has been an approved child custody evaluator for the Orange County Superior Court.

Child custody evaluations are performed by qualified mental health professionals to help the court determine the best interests of the child in custody cases. During the evaluation, the mental health professional conducts several meetings, including with parents. Here are a couple of actions that harm a parent’s case for custody:

i) Dishonesty
During an evaluation, parents should maintain honesty with the evaluator. They should not lie about material things such as when the relationship with the other parent became serious, the parent’s availability for outside work, and any negative history. The evaluator is trained to recognize lies.

ii) Bad-mouthing the other parent
Do not bad-mouth the other parent and even worse, do not coach the children to bad-mouth your partner. Issues with the other parent should be phrased as concerns, not blatant attacks, and they should be backed by evidence. In fact, a parent can demonstrate he or she is looking out for the best interests of the child by acknowledging the positive traits of the other parent.

iii) Being uncooperative
It is important to cooperate with the evaluator fully. Make sure to attend interviews, answer all questions truthfully, and avail school and medical records where needed.

iv) Focusing on marital issues rather than the child’s best interests
Do not mix marital issues with parenting issues. The evaluation process does not seek to apportion blame. Rather, evaluators want to determine the best interests of the child. Just because a partner is a poor spouse does not mean he or she is a poor parent.

Three Essential Steps to Planning a Fundraising Event

 

Planning a Fundraising Event
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A licensed clinical psychologist who frequently undertakes child custody evaluations for Orange County Superior Court, Dr. Miriam Galindo previously served as a social worker at Olive Crest in Santa Clara, California. In this position, Dr. Miriam Galindo was in charge of fundraising to support care programs for children who had experienced neglect and abuse.

Planning a fundraising event involves consideration of numerous factors. First, you have to decide why you are holding the event. Are you doing it just to raise funds or do you also want to raise awareness, advocate for a cause, grow your membership count, or network? Your purpose for the event will play a major role in deciding details and defining your priorities.

Next, come up with concrete goals to match your purpose. For example, if you’re strictly fundraising, you can set your goal to $10,000. If you want to grow membership, set your goal to 30 new members. Having a quantifiable goal will help you measure the success of your event afterward.

Finally, plan out a budget that will fit into your goals. Your budget includes elements such as space rental, invitations, catering, entertainment, and security. All these expenses will ultimately reduce the donations you get to keep. Go through every cost detail to ensure you are getting the best deal. Call the event hosts to figure out unforeseen costs and be ready to negotiate pricing. You also may be able to solicit donations of supplies and services and leverage volunteer support to staff an event.