“It’s been a long, long process and to finally get this part behind us. I feel great, even though we still have more to get done.”

Judge Marya Nega said Dwyane Wade had proven irreconcilable differences with Siohvaughn, even though it may already have been apparent in the court of public opinion. But child custody of the couple’s two sons and the division of marital assets still have to be worked out.

Dwyane Wade still retains physical custody of his children until further proceedings determine a final ruling, according to the judge’s order. Michael Kalcheim, the tenth divorce attorney in Chicago to represent Siohvaughn Wade, said he plans to file an appeal.

He told reporters that it was improper to finalize a divorce without also finalizing child custody and financial matters:

“The judge made a mistake.”

Even though this saga may very well have another chapter, Dwyane Wade is now looking forward to charting his future in the NBA. He will become a free agent as early as this week and may very well command a $100 million contract.

The couple, who first become romantically involved at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, had been separated for nearly three years before the recent dissolution of their marriage.

James Pritkin, Dwyane Wade’s Illinois family law attorney, took the opportunity to rattle off a basketball metaphor:

“Mrs. Wade has committed her final flagrant foul. Her game is over.”

Well, maybe not quite. This could go into overtime.

1. Children need Structure. Structure includes consistency, reliability, and meeting expectations. Children need to know what time dinner will be, what time bedtime will be, what the rules are for homework, and what the rules are for playing outside. We can be flexible occasionally, but children need parents to set the structure and stick to it.

2. The way we treat women and our daughters teaches them what they can expect from men in their lives, and it teaches sons how to treat women. Treating the mother of our child with respect, even if we disagree with her behavior or her lifestyle, is a way of treating our child with respect

3. We fathers must role model taking care of ourselves and making healthy choices. If we get to a good place ourselves with all we do, we can get to a good place with our children and set expectations for them. We have to walk the walk before we can talk the talk.

4. Find good friends. People with friends live longer, healthier, happier lives. Find good men who are taking care of themselves and keeping their commitments. Being a friend means being understanding, loyal, dependable, and trustworthy – these are also good attributes for fathers.

5. No matter where we are and what our situation is, our children need to hear from us and know that we care. If we feel ashamed of our situation or ashamed of something we have said or done, avoiding our children will not make it better. Being a man and a parent means being able to deal with what comes our way.

To read the original article published through NewsWise, click here.

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GreatDad is formatted a little differently than usual parenting websites because of the audience it caters to.  Women like to visit online parenting sites multiple times a day to check in with the online community.  Men are more likely to visit parenting sites on an as needed basis, which according to Banas, in no way reflects low volume on his website.  GreatDad receives about 95,000 new hits a month, and offers over 4,000 articles on different parenting topics contributed by a team of 16 writers.  The site also has a feature for expectant fathers to receive a weekly pregnancy newsletter to help them prepare for their new baby.

As a father of two himself, Banas hopes his mission of helping fathers continues as people keep visiting his website.  He wants to make sure other fathers understand his own passion when they visit GreatDad.  “The more involved you are with your kids, the more you understand how bountiful (parenting) is, and how it dwarfs everything else in the world,” he shared.

You can visit GreatDad by clicking here.

Read the original article on the site’s success over at the Richmond Times-Dispatch by clicking here.

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While this type of depression has been associated primarily with mothers, further research revealed that fathers were not immune to the condition.  Dr. James Paulson of the Eastern Virginia Medical School reported that the many stresses of parenting can affect both the mother and father in similar ways.  “Going from being a single person to a parent is a real shock,” he says. “And certainly both parents trying to cope with a big change in life can be stressful.”

The riskiest period for fathers to experience postpartum depression is 3-6 months after the child is born.  Researchers felt this was a result of both parents returning to work around this time after their leave has ended.  There is also a huge financial burden that comes with raising a child, which can also add stress to the already sleep-deprived parents in the immediate months after the new baby is brought home.

Fathers experiencing depression tend to hide it because it is culturally viewed as unacceptable to express emotion as a male.  However, not dealing with your depression can be harmful to your child.  “There’s evidence growing that depression in fathers is negative for children and increases the risk of emotional and behavioral problems,” Paulson explained.  The best way to handle your depression is to seek out group therapy, prescription drug treatment approved by your doctor, or individual counseling.  Fathers are also encouraged to open up with their family to get more support at home.

To read more about the study, visit NPR’s website by clicking here.

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First, it is important to instill confidence in your child.  The National Youth Violence Prevention Center reported that most kids that are bullied are anxious, insecure, and have low self-esteem.  While it is important to teach your kids not to retaliate against a bully, fathers can promote children standing up for themselves verbally.  This confidence and verbal interaction might influence the bully to move on and avoid confronting your child in the future.

If bullying persists at your child’s school, consider notifying teachers or the principal to discuss any known students participating in bullying.  The school will most likely contact the bully’s parents and try to resolve the issue quietly and prevent any harassment in the future.  Fathers can also start up (or join existing) anti-bullying programs associated with their child’s school.  These programs were cited as one of the main reasons that bullying has reduced over the past few years.

To read GreatDad’s original article, click here.

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Rachel and her father, Paul, were one of the lucky pairs selected to participate in the event.  Rachel felt the audition was nerve racking because of all the teams they were up against, but when she called her father to see what the results were, he let out the typical announcer’s rendition of “Wheeeeeeeel ooooof Fooooooortune!” to let her know they were selected.  Rachel is excited to compete with her dad on Wednesday’s episode this week.  You can read more about Rachel’s experience in the audition process at the Wheel of Fortune Contestant Blog.

Tune in this week to catch this special event honoring fathers and graduates with the show’s hosts, Pat Sajak and Vanna White.  For Central Florida residents, the show airs at 7:30 p.m. on ABC.  Check your local listings for showtimes near you.

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The Corbetts never lived more than a half hour away from each other in England, but attempts to find each other always seemed to fail until Andy used an unlikely source, Facebook.  He typed his father’s name in and looked through the photos of the 15 Graham Corbetts listed.  He recognized his father instantly, sent him a message, and anxiously waited for the response that came 2 days later.

Graham Corbett sent back two words: “Hello son.”

Since they have found each other, the pair has been making up for lost time.  Andy introduced Graham to his 11-year-old grandson, and Graham introduced Andy to his three half-siblings, a sister and two brothers. 

Andy summed up the reunion with a positive outlook: “There’s been a big part missing for so long but now everything is all right. It’s such a wonderful feeling. The internet is an amazing invention.”

To read the original article from Mail Online, click here.

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Fathers should start by asking their children what they would like to do for their mothers on this holiday, and then plan out how they can help. If the kids are younger, fathers can help them make homemade cards, cookies, or other assorted arts and craft projects.  If the kids are older, fathers can instead offer to take them to a store to purchase cards and gifts, and possibly help sponsor a purchase if it is slightly out of the child’s price range.

It is also important for fathers to recognize stepmothers during this holiday by encouraging small gestures from their children to show respect and appreciation.  Stepmother gifts do not have to be over the top; a simple card or small bouquet will do.

The most important thing fathers should remember this week is to put their kids first.  Mother’s Day is just as much about the children as it is the mother, so it is a good time for fathers to put their differences aside and help kids follow through with any special plan they put together.  Don’t forget that Father’s Day is just around the corner, and this appreciation will soon be returned!

To read more advice on Mother’s Day for fathers, check out this article from Fathers.com.

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While the event is geared towards fathers and their children, mothers are welcome to come with their kids, too.  All Pro Dad recommends that children be at least 5 years old, though, so everyone can play safely. 

The event is only $15 per family (father and up to four children).  You can register for the event by visiting All Pro Dad here or calling 1-800-956-8300 ext. 309.  It’s recommended that families register early because the event usually sells out before April 24^th.

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To buy the book from Amazon, click here.

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