NOTE: In this article, I use the phrase “bio-parent” when referring to a biological parent, legal guardian or adoptive parent. It is meant to be...
Author archive for: Diane Dierks
Peace Requires Acceptance
I wish I had a dollar for every co-parent who has told me they “just want peace” in their co-parent relationship. If the other parent...
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What is “healthy” co-parenting? The answer is to be realistic about whether or not you can be cooperative or should accept a parallel style (just...
The Power of Plan B
Co-parent conflict is often about parents feeling frustrated by their personal differences. Chances are those existed prior to the relationship break-up, but they become more...
Hate is a Learned Emotion
Kids who are neglected, abandoned, or abused by a parent have an array of emotions that they struggle with, including sadness, anger, disappointment, distrust, etc....
Monitoring Parent/Child Phone Calls
A subject that comes up in many of my cases has to do with one parent requiring a child to put the phone on speaker...
Kids Benefit from Different Parents
There is an almost universal concept in parenting. I say almost since there’s usually an exception to the rule, but I haven’t yet seen it....
So Your Teen Doesn’t Want to Visit the Other Parent…
In Georgia, the law is written so that if a 14-year-old child desires to live primarily with one parent in a divorce case, that desire...
The phone! The phone!
One of the most contentious subjects I deal with when working with high-conflict parents is phone communication with the children. Calls to the children should...
The Simple Truths
I’ve been doing a lot of research lately to update my knowledge, as well as to enhance the required parenting classes we teach for the...