NonCustodial Parent Community

Tips for ADD Homework Help Long-Distance?

2011-10-11T22:24:00.001-04:00

Another example of a loving noncustodial mom doing her best to stay involved in her kids' lives and supporting their education. It's so great to hear about parents who keep good relationships, but even without contentious battles between parents who've split up, the everyday challenges of education - and in this case learning disabilities - require a lot of work and creativity. This noncustodial

Corinna and Mommy

2011-10-10T08:08:00.000-04:00

Corinna and Mommy This is what "visitation" looks like, as submitted by a reader here. Adorable!!

Anonymous said...

2011-09-29T22:15:00.000-04:00

Anonymous said... "Any woman that does not get custody of her children either has something very wrong with her or she did something very wrong. I am a single father of four with sole custody of them and as far as I am concerned every non-custodial mother out there deserves to endure a lifetime of stigma and shame. And by the way, make sure you pay your child support to the father who

Making it Through

2011-06-05T15:07:00.003-04:00

Long time no talk. I've been in the weeds of things and writing has just been too hard. The last few years have been amazing in the development of my personal identity, my confidence as a mother, and the vibrant parent community - especially with parents who've been challenged by their custody situations;) The more I told my story, the more I connected to others, and none of us are alone in our

Noncustodial Mom as of YESTERDAY

2010-12-31T13:32:00.001-05:00

Received the letter below from Malinda Temple a couple weeks ago, the very day after she become a noncustodial mom. With her permission, I am sharing it on the site with a picture of her and her two beautiful children. Thank you Malinda!!! Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year :) Rebekah Subject: Noncustodial Mom as of YESTERDAY Thank you for sharing your story. I am a mother of two,

Sofi and Daddy

2010-12-06T08:28:00.000-05:00

This is what "visitation" looks like!! Posting pics sent in by noncustodial parent readers that show the beauty and love of togetherness ♥. Thanks for sharing, Michael!!

How Long is Your Wait?

2010-11-20T11:00:00.009-05:00

As we head into the holidays, family's on the brain more than ever. Some noncustodial parents are able to spend a little more quality time with the kids than they get to when school is in session. But there are also many noncustodial parents who aren't going to be able to visit with their kids at all. I just visited with my son in California a couple weeks ago, so he's not coming out to NY for

Parents in Recovery

2010-07-21T15:50:00.003-04:00

As we all know from media sensationalism of parents like Britney Spears and movies like "Losing Isaiah," sometimes a parent does not end up with custody of his/her children because of a substance abuse problem that either causes them to lose custody or prevents them from seeking it out in the first place. Their struggle with addiction is a tragedy for the family, but in many cases it is overcome

Summer visit - a triumph! Though a bit shorter than usual:)

2010-07-15T08:39:00.009-04:00

In some ways, parenting from another house or even another state is no different than "normal" parenting. Just when we think we've got it all figured out and have a system down, our kids go and change on us. I've always wanted my son to spend as much time with me at my house as possible. I like to let him feel the rhythm of my life, to enjoy a sense of normalcy with me as I enjoy the daily

Death in the Family

2010-06-27T07:39:00.004-04:00

Reminding us that every parenting situation is different, just received a comment from Anonymous:"hi, I just found this site....i was in a relationship for 8 years now, and I had gotten pregnant and gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Unfortunately, my heart..my everything, my "husband" and baby's father had died unexpectedly. My in laws had take me in since it was unexpected. We are all

Nonresident Dads Find Ways to Be Involved

2010-06-20T18:34:00.002-04:00

Just in time for Father's Day, Sharon Jayson from USA Today posted a great piece "Dads who don't live with their kids find ways to be involved."The piece works to dispel the deadbeat dad stereotype and celebrates the involvement of non-resident fathers in their children's lives. Thanks to research, changing attitudes and custody reform, "a new picture of today's non-resident dads" is

Summer and a New Beginning

2010-06-09T06:52:00.004-04:00

Exciting moments on on the horizon! I'm leaving my full-time job at the Women's Media Center to focus for the summer on writing my blog, finishing my book, and raising awareness around issues related to custody, divorce, and our archaic gendered expectations for parents.One of my first projects since I made this decision was one I've wanted to do for a long time -- start a NYC NonCustodial Parent

Honored by NOW-NYC for NonCustodial Parent Advocacy work

2010-02-19T07:45:00.003-05:00

Tonight I will be honored by NOW-NYC at the 30th Annual Susan B. Anthony Awards. This is a very cool event honoring the work of grassroots activists, and I am so thrilled that they are highlighting noncustodial parent issues!! 2010 Honorees include: Shelby Knox, Sex Education Activist; Lyn Pentecost, Founder, Lower Eastside Girls Club; Venita Pinckney, Anti-Shackling Activist; Ninaj Raoul,

Radio Interview tonight with Co-Parenting Matters

2010-01-10T06:39:00.005-05:00

Tonight at 9:30pmET our NonCustodial Parent Community will be featured on “Co-Parenting Matters” a fabulous Blogtalk radio show that was launched in October 2009 by the folks at WeParent.com (Talibah Mbonisi) and CoParenting101.org (Deesha Philyaw and Michael Thomas).Rebekah Spicuglia / NonCustodial Parent CommunityCo-Parenting radio interview TONIGHT, Sunday Jan10, 9:30 PM ESTTo listen online,

Happy holidays!

2009-12-25T13:47:00.004-05:00

Holiday season is tough for families who are separated by custody and/or distance (just take a look at some of the comments on our Facebook page).Usually my son Oscar spends Xmas day with his dad and then visits me before/after while he's on his winter vacation from school. However, this year we spent a lovely 2-week Thanksgiving together instead. It was wonderful seeing him earlier than usual,

News Roundup - Family, Custody, and Everything in Between

2009-10-06T07:17:00.013-04:00

Been active on our NCP Community Facebook page posting articles of interest to noncustodial parents, so join the fan page to get timely news. For the blog, makes sense to just round it up:) My personal favorite news story was "Fed education chief to dads: Turn off TV, read" because despite the hard-line approach the Administration is taking with fathers, they have acknowledged weakness in the

Court Requires Custodial Parent to Pay Child Support Payments to Noncustodial Parent

2009-09-23T07:25:00.005-04:00

Because of "disparate incomes and nearly equal parenting time," some noncustodial parents are being recognized in Indiana as needing child support. In this case, the custodial parent made 10 times the income of the noncustodial parent, but the actual parenting was almost 50/50. What a great decision to be made in the interests of the children who need support from both parents! It's so

Welcome to the NonCustodial Parent Community

2009-08-07T18:16:00.008-04:00

**Welcome to new members of the NonCustodial Parent Community site!**Since I was featured in Marie Claire and on the TODAY show, I have received a flood of emails and Facebook messages, new fans for the Facebook page (facebook.com/noncustodialparent), and followers on Twitter (@ncpcommunity). I'm so thrilled to be connecting with noncustodial moms and dads around the country -- and I'm so glad

TODAY Show! Moms Who Give Up Custody

2009-07-29T09:56:00.011-04:00

NonCustodial Parent Community founder Rebekah Spicuglia was a featured guest on the Today Show to talk about her experience as a noncustodial mom! Would love for you to share your thoughts by commenting here on the NCPCommunity site. There is also a live discussion happening on the Today Show, click here to add your thanks and feedback about the segment.Thanks so much to the Today Show, Marie

Happy 15th National Parents Day!!

2009-07-26T07:25:00.020-04:00

Today (Sunday, July 26, 2009) marks the 15th Annual National Parents Day, a holiday established to “uplift ideal parental role models.” Passed by unanimous Congressional Resolution and signed into law by Bill Clinton, Parents Day was created to provide an opportunity to celebrate the important roles parents have in helping children grow up successfully, and as President George W. Bush said in

Staying Together for the Kid? Considering Divorce?

2009-07-24T06:44:00.005-04:00

The Boston Globe missed an opportunity this week to paint an optimistic picture for divorcing parents.In the "Dear Meredith" column, this question was posed by a reader: "I recently discovered that my wife is (or was at least) having an affair... If we were child and mortgage free, I would have had my things packed before she got home. But we have a beautiful three-year-old boy who is the center

Noncustodial Moms (and NCP Community!) in the Media Spotlight

2009-07-22T06:50:00.004-04:00

Yay!! Our NonCustodial Parent Community has had a busy month, thanks to the support of some key media outlets, noncustodial moms and dads, and the growing network of people who have supported our mission along the way.NYTimes Motherlode, Feministing, The Frisky, and About.com's Women's Issues Blog all wrote about Marie Claire's article on noncustodial moms, in which I was featured. Anti-Racist

How Does A Feminist Mom Teach About Sex?

2009-07-20T12:04:00.003-04:00

As NCP Community readers know, I have been exploring ways to talk to my son about puberty and sex that educate beyond biology, providing a base for the man he will become. We are already having conversations that go beyond his personal experience and really delve into prevention of domestic violence and rape culture, not just for him but with his peers as well. So, I was thrilled to read this

Report Shows Unions Have Positive Impact on Family-Friendly Workplace Policies

2009-07-20T07:13:00.002-04:00

As Congress prepares to debate the Employee Free Choice Act, a new report from my alma mater, UC Berkeley, shows that unions have a positive impact on family-friendly workplace policies. To download “Family-Friendly Workplaces: Do Unions Make a Difference?” go to UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education or Labor Project for Working Families.From the report's press release: "Unions have

Talking to Your Kids about a Move Away

2009-07-18T13:45:00.007-04:00

There is a great piece by Carrie at DistanceParent.org on how to talk to your kids about a move away: I’m Going to Move Away… How do I Talk to My Child About it?To move away from a child is an extremely difficult decision, and no loving parent makes this choice lightly. We must make the best decisions in our power. While living in the same house or at least the same city is ideal for everyday