Cyber Bullying:

Cyber Bullying:

Bullying was once an act limited to playgrounds or school hallways. The Internet has opened up a whole new world of socialization for young people through e-mail, Web sites, instant messaging, chat rooms, blogs and text messages. The increased use of the Internet and prevalence of computers in schools and homes has transformed bullying into a new kind of threat for children. It has given school "bullies" a new platform on which to intimidate and harass others. Cyber bullying is quickly becoming a challenging issue facing young people, parents and educators.

What is Cyber Bullying?

Cyber bullying is sending or posting harmful or cruel text or images using the Internet or other digital communication devices, including cell phones and PDA's (personal digital assistants).

Cyber bullying can include:

- Sending cruel, vicious or threatening e-mails.

- Creating Web sites that have stories, pictures and jokes ridiculing others.

- Posting pictures of other students/kids online with derogatory phrases or questions attached to them.

- Using someone else's e-mail to send vicious or incriminating e-mails to others.

- Using instant messaging tools to harass others.

Age and Gender

Cyber bullying is not limited to high school students. In many cases younger children, who have grown up with computers and the Internet, have a greater knowledge of the technology and engage in online bullying more than students in older grades. There is often extensive bullying behavior in middle school-aged children.

A common assumption is that boys bully more than girls. Boys do engage in more physical bullying, but girls are often more active in cyber bullying.

According to recent studies, nearly 60 percent of boys who are classified as bullies in grades six through nine were convicted of at least one crime by the age of 24. Even more dramatic, 40 percent of them had three or more convictions by age 24.

Understanding Spousal Support

Spousal Support also known as alimony is a way to ensure that unjust financial effects of divorce will not leave a spouse in peril.  When a married couple divorces the court may award alimony to either spouse.  During a legal separation proceeding, a court may impose a financial obligation on on spouse to continue supporting the other spouse after the divorce.  Alimony laws vary from state to state and having a Family Law Layer to guide you through this process can help you come to a fair and just arrangement. 

The amount of alimony may be determined by the length of the marriage, the ability of the payer spouse to support the recipient spouse and still support him or herself, the former standard of living, the length of the marriage, and the amount of time and education the receiving spouse may need to obtain education to become self-sufficient.  Things such as age, mental and physical condition, and standard of living may also play a role in determining the amount of alimony and the length of time in which alimony will be awarded.  Usually the higher wage earner will pay alimony to the other spouse in set amounts on a monthly basis until the other spouse remarries. 

Alimony was usually awarded to wives by full-time working husbands.  Times have drastically changed and so have the trends of alimony.  Many marriages have two wage earners and women and men are viewed more as equals.  Ex-wife to ex-husband alimony is on the rise, as the breadwinning spouse may now be the wife.  If the spouses cannot agree on an alimony arrangement, a court will set its terms.  Discussing your options with a Family Layer can save you the extra costs of a court proceeding and time.

Alimony issues usually arise when dealing with divorce.  It always good to consider talking to a Family Law Layer to help guide you through your legal rights during this process.

When Alimony is in place it is important for both parties to keep accurate records.  Alimony is taxable income for the spouse receiving it, and it is tax-deductible for the spouse paying it.  Keeping accurate records can help you avoid future disputes with the IRS.  Failure to keep records could result in the loss of tax deductions and you may even be ordered to pay back alimony that you may have previously paid.

 

http://www.glfamilylaw.com

It's been said a million times. - Be Nice!

It's been said a million times.

Divorced parents should not bad-mouth each other. It hurts the children. It has not, however, been said often enough that other family member and friends of divorced parents also should not degrade either parent to or in the presence of children.

That also hurts the children.

Children see themselves as half of each parent. When children hear bad things about one parent, they hear bad things about half of themselves. If they hear bad things about both their parents, they feel that both halves of themselves must be of little worth.

I may have a special insight into this issue that comes from my childhood. Maybe some of you have had similar experiences.

Until I was 5 my parents, my brother and I lives with my paternal grandparents on a farm in South Dakota. My father is an only child. From his mother's (my grandmother's) point of view, no woman in the world ever could be good enough for her only son.

remember that my grandmother used to criticize my mother. She'd say things to me or in my presence about my mother's shortcomings, little things such as, "Your mother can't cook or she doesn't clean house right."

I vividly remember my grandmother saying bad things about my mother. And even though I'm 45 now and I can intellectually understand what was behind my grandmother's, I can still feel the hurt I felt when she put my mother down.

When divorce happens, it's not only the parents who take sides. Often the aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends take sides as well.

Divorcing parents are always ready to tell anyone who'll listen about why the failed marriage was the other one's fault. They want family members and friends to be on their side. Often they make it known that from their perspective if you're not on their side, if you're not with them, you must be against them.

It's awfully hard not to sympathize with someone you know who's going through the pain of divorce. The sympathy can take the form of verbalizing the flaws of the other spouse. But we all need to remember not to talk about a parent's flaws to the children, and we need to be careful about talking when young ears can overhear.

Staying neutral when someone we love is going through the agony of divorce can be difficult, but it's one of the kindest things we can do their children.

The adage holds: "If you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all."

http://www.alllaw.com/articles/family/divorce/article20.asp

Thinking About Adoption – Part 6 of 6

Would you consider a special-needs or older child?

If you want to adopt right away, think about adopting a special-needs child — or an older one. But the two of you really need to be honest about what you can handle, physically, emotionally, and financially, as we mentioned above. A baby with a heart condition may be more than you can cope with or afford, but you might be able to offer a caring home for a deaf child, or one who uses a wheelchair. Adopting a five-year-old may be appealing to some parents who’d just as soon skip the diaper days, while others will only consider an infant.

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. What matters most is answering honestly once you've gotten enough information to know what to expect. So do your research and think about your hopes and dreams. Then you’ll be ready to start the journey to find a child who’ll fill your heart with love.

For Original Article Link,

http://www.whattoexpect.com/family/thinking-about-adoption.aspx

Let’s look at topic number three - Choosing the executor of your will

The hardest part of writing a will is … well… sitting down to write it! 

Let’s look at topic number three - Choosing the executor of your will. This is the person who is going to make sure the ideas and wishes in your will are carried out. So, you'll want to pick someone who is, well… Responsible! Think about your family members, yes we all love them, but their may be that family member, who you should never tell where you hide your gold. This would not be the right person to choose.

One last thing, ask yourself if your children get along, that could also be a problem. You may need to consider picking a neutral party, like a close family friend or even an outside company to handle it. Your family may be better off, if you hire an attorney or bank to handle your will.

http://www.glfamilylaw.com/wills-estates/

Let’s Look At Question Number Two - Selecting your beneficiaries.

The hardest part of writing a will is … well… sitting down to write it! I mean, you kind of hope you never have to use it… RIGHT? By writing it, you're acknowledging that you may not be the super hero you thought you were.

Let’s Look At Question Number Two - Selecting your beneficiaries. 

When you pass away, someone is going to get your money, your house and all the strange holiday decorations you have in boxes around the house. You probably won't have to think long about beneficiaries, unless your family is all over the place. There will be a place to identify who gets what on the form, and if you have an attorney, he or she will write your will for you. But it isn't a bad idea to first get everything on paper, just for your own thoughts.

http://www.glfamilylaw.com/wills-estates/