With Your Family in Mind

 Have you ever thought of becoming a foster parent or wanted to adopt a child in need of permanency? Koinonia Family Services is now serving the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys, and is looking for families who want to provide safe, caring, and nurturing homes for children who are in need...

 A number of months back I wrote an article on the topic of winning a legal matter against all odds. At the time that article was written, we had not actually won.  The case involved a bitter custody dispute and we had received a very positive evaluation from the custody evaluator.  Mom wanted...

 Is your young child a picky eater?  If so, you aren’t alone.  At this age, children are trying to be more independent which may result in them asserting themselves more and refusing to eat certain foods or not at all.  Rest assured this is a normal part of your child’s development.  Here are...

 A group of Santa Clarita community members and local business owners including Abi Caruthers of L.O.V.E Weight Loss, Doug Sutton of The Santa Clarita Gazette and Nola Aronson of Advanced Audiology have formed a new organization called The Santa Clarita Valley Alzheimer’s Awareness Project. ...

 The discussion of senior care with aging parents and close relatives is a difficult conversation to have. It can be uncomfortable for all parties involved, but it is necessary to ensure the well being of a loved one as they grow older. There are a host of factors to consider when beginning...

 That sweet time where late summer and early fall meet is upon us: Sunny days are beginning to be touched by cooler breezes and it is becoming a bit more comfortable to be outside for longer periods of time. This is a wonderful time to enjoy nature and spend time taking in the great outdoors....

We’re all downsizing today! The tiny house phenomena is sweeping the nation. A magical bestseller tells us to pare down to the joy-giving essentials. I believe we should do the same with our thinking. There are five ideas - disabling ideas - that we could stand to discard. They promise success,...

Mom and Dad had a revocable living trust, prepared many years ago by an experienced attorney. At that time, it was fully funded: their house and financial accounts had been re-titled to Mom and Dad as trustees of their Trust. Recently Mom and Dad died (on different days) as the result of...

Power: The ability to act or produce an effect; the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. Merriam-Webster.Com Power is a factor in every relationship. The relationship is affected by how it is distributed, balanced and expressed. Imbalances,...

 Since publication of the Home Care Final Rule, the Department of Labor has led an unprecedented implementation program to engage stakeholders and to help employers prepare for compliance. In this process, stakeholder questions indicated a need for additional guidance to help consumers and...

 Family law is known for its highly stressful, emotionally charged and often toxic human dramas that unfold. Indeed, it is an arena often fraught with hostile feelings and difficult behaviors. And yet, in the midst of the drama, there are often children.  Issues such as custody, scheduling and...

 In California, we have a somewhat similar misconception that becoming 18 or graduating from high school ends all burdens and risks related to child support. There are several circumstances where this is not the case. First, the child support law of California states “(a) The duty of support...

 World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated annually August 1 to August 7, since 1992!  In recent years, more mothers are choosing to breastfeed. For many decades, breastfeeding was a well-kept secret. With the promotion of formula and lack of support, families were not offered the many benefits of...

 Pets fill a special place in our lives and hearts. They have made great comrades through adolescence, marriages, and raising children. They have provided comfort when our nests have emptied and support through loss and illness. There is nothing quite like the sound of a cat’s purr or the...

A Call to Zonta International (ZI) Convention in Nice, France -July 2 through July 6, 2016- brought together 1,432 members to elect officers, approve projects, resolutions,  standing rules, and revised by-laws for the 2016-2018 biennium.  ZI, a leading global organization of professionals, has...

 California’s budget bill, passed June 17, 2016, incorporated the health budget trailer bill (AB 33) to limit Medi-Cal estate recovery to the limits only required under Federal law.  This includes the most comprehensive Medi-Cal Reform measures since 1993. Sections of this bill provides...

 During the 1970’s and 1980’s, the VA denied thousands of claims for disability or death compensation that Vietnam veterans and their survivors attributed to Agent Orange exposure.  At the time, the VA claimed that Agent Orange exposure was only associated to a skin condition known as...

 Summer went by faster than expected yet again and school is back in session. That means a change of schedule, a change of weather and — when you’re divorced — a change in how you need to interact with your ex. After all, just because you are no longer husband and wife (or boyfriend and...