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A doption I sn ’ t O ne - S ize -F its -A ll HOW ADOPTION CAN SUPPORT FAMILIES IN COMPLEX SITUATIONS
NOVEMBER 2025
ADULT ADOPTIONS Adult adoptions have become increasingly common. Some occur when stepparents who raised a child want to formalize the relationship, while others have more concrete reasons for the adoption. About a year ago, I worked on a case in which a grandmother adopted her granddaughter. It’s easily my favorite adoption story ever! The granddaughter was a first-generation college student, but her mother was a single mom having difficulty paying for school. The grandmother was a retired veteran who had never used her GI Bill. These three ladies worked together to develop a strategy for their youngest to get through college. Since the grandmother could only transfer her GI Bill to a spouse or child, she decided to adopt her granddaughter to help offset the cost. This was not a situation where the mom was on the outs, but instead, everyone involved wanted to do whatever they could to help the young woman finish her college education. It was the most beautiful story of three generations of women taking care of each other. Their story actually made the judge cry, as she was a military veteran herself! STEPPARENT ADOPTION Most adoption cases for minor children we handle involve stepparent adoptions. Usually, these occur when one of the biological parents falls out of the picture and a stepparent serves in their role, loving the child as if he or she were their own. There was a recent case where a mom was living with her teenage children after the dad effectively abandoned everyone, never paying child support, and even getting convicted for child endangerment when the kids were little. He was virtually invisible in their lives. However, mom remarried later in life, and her new husband acted as dad for nearly nine years. Mom grew worried that if something happened to her, the kids would have to go back to their biological father, so their stepdad stepped up and adopted them. This gave the kids two full-time, supportive parents; if the unimaginable occurred, the children would still be in good hands. Adoption can be a positive, life-changing experience for everyone involved. If you have questions about adoption or are interested in starting the process yourself, please contact us today!
As family law attorneys, we often help navigate challenging situations for our clients. We represent people going through a divorce, fighting over custody, or even facing family violence. Some people may even view our services as the disassembly of families, but that’s not fair or true. While we help people through divorce or custody battles, we do everything possible to put our clients and their children in the best position going forward. Furthermore, another branch of family law often provides happy endings to all involved. November is National Adoption Month, giving us a great opportunity to spread awareness about one of the more heartwarming aspects of our job. We love helping our clients through the adoption process. What most people don’t realize is that it can take many forms. Most assume those looking to adopt are only doing so because they can’t have children, but many other factors come into play. Sometimes, it’s essential for a particular child to be removed from a situation and embraced in a new one. Some situations even call for an adult adoption.
Here are two of the most special adoption cases from our firm.
- Esther Vayman & Andrea Johnson
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S tronger in the S truggle
If your child is prone to anxiety, it’s important to avoid the knee-jerk instinct many parents experience: to offer comfort and try to make things easier. Instead, acknowledge their nervousness and reassure them that feeling a little scared can be normal. Don’t engage in magical thinking by comforting your child with promises that they’ll pass a test, find countless new friends, or perform perfectly in a game or concert. And steer them away from comparing themselves with others, a habit that undermines their confidence. Instead, reassure them that they can manage the outcome, regardless of what happens, and that all anyone expects is their best effort. If your child is worried about tryouts for a competitive team, it may help to talk through what might happen if their anxiety about failing comes true. Empower your child to embrace two seemingly conflicting realities; they may feel doomed to fail a test, but those feelings aren’t facts, and no one can foresee the future. Reassure them that if they practice managing their fears, staying calm and collected will become easier. And model healthy responses to your own anxieties, describing your coping mechanisms and self-care strategies. The responses children learn as youngsters are likely to stick with them into adulthood. Taking a thoughtful approach to teaching emotion regulation tools will go a long way toward instilling resilience, flexible thinking, and other hallmarks of good mental health.
HELP YOUR CHILD MANAGE ANXIETY
Watching a child suffer anxiety is hard, and some children worry more than others. Some psychologists say smartphones, social media, and overprotective parenting have made it more difficult for an entire generation of youngsters today to manage their anxiety. Some 21% of kids ages 3–17 have been diagnosed with anxiety, public health data show. At its heart, anxiety is an inability to tolerate uncertainty and a lack of confidence in oneself to handle whatever happens. Gaining courage to face one’s fears and learning to endure unpleasant feelings without letting them control you are areas where children can greatly benefit from a parent’s support and guidance.
W hich A ssets S kip P robate and W hy I t M atters WHAT BELONGS IN YOUR WILL? When people decide to create an estate plan, one of the first things they will do is draft up their last will and testament. This document effectively explains how their assets and possessions should be distributed. This is your opportunity to leave something behind for your loved ones. Some of the items may be reasonably straightforward. You could have jewelry or other personal belongings that you want to leave to your children. You may want to leave your bank accounts, real estate properties, and vehicles to your spouse. Some will even transfer corporate or business partnership interests to someone else in their will. the names are different. This can lead to conflict and fighting among family members, as they won’t know your true intentions. Be intentional when creating or updating your will. Including nonprobate assets will only lead to confusion in the future.
with beneficiary designations do not need to go through probate. Any accounts with a transfer-on- death or a payable-on-death clause can avoid probate. The assets you place within a living trust will also avoid probate. What truly separates probate and nonprobate assets is the idea of ownership. If a mechanism is not already in place to transfer ownership to someone else, then that item will need to pass through probate. Policies with beneficiaries automatically get passed along, items with joint ownership will easily transfer to the surviving owner, and assets within a trust already have a plan for distribution. If you have been the only legal owner of an asset and no beneficiary is involved, it will likely need to go through probate. What happens if you include a nonprobate asset in your will? If the person named in the will is the same as the beneficiary, everything proceeds as usual. However, the will does not take priority if
While drafting your will, you may question whether you need to include everything you own or in your name in your will. The short answer is no. Some assets do not need to pass through probate. Real estate and vehicles you co-own with someone else will avoid probate and automatically pass to the other owner due to survivorship rights. Any retirement accounts or life insurance policies
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IF YOU HAD TO LIVE IN A HOLIDAY MOVIE, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Amanda D. Harry Potter Amanda H. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Brianna Polar Express Lily Elf Aline Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie Mari The Nightmare Before Christmas
Jennifer Home Alone Abby Klaus Stephanie Home Alone Abigayle A Muppets Christmas Carol Grace The Holiday Kaitlyn A Christmas Story Gianna How the Grinch Stole Christmas
“IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR RAVE REVI EWS THE BEST FAMILY LAW ATTORNEYS AROUND, LOOK NO FURTHER. YOU HAVE FOUND THEM!”
A pple - C ranberry S alad This tangy and sweet apple-cranberry salad will steal the show at your Thanksgiving feast this year.
ingredients • 6 slices of bacon • 1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette
BRAIN BREAK
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 Honeycrisp apple,
peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp raw honey
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 8 oz fresh baby spinach, rinsed and dried
directions 1. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove it from the pan and set on a paper towel-lined plate to cool. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinaigrette, olive oil, and honey. Set aside. 3. In a large bowl, add spinach, cranberries, apple slices, red onion, and feta. Crumble bacon pieces over the top. Use salad forks to toss ingredients thoroughly.
APPLES BASKETBALL BLACK FRIDAY
NAP PARADE PIE SCORPIO TOPAZ VETERAN
ELECTION KINDNESS LEAVES
4. Add dressing to the salad and toss again until well-coated.
Inspired by WanderlustAndWellness.org
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THE DIFFERENT FACES OF ADOPTION
WHEN COMFORT COLLIDES WITH COURAGE: PARENTING AN ANXIOUS CHILD
WHY SOME ASSETS DON’T BELONG IN YOUR WILL
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QUESTION AND ANSWERS
APPLE-CRANBERRY SALAD
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PARADISE FOUND
T ropical E scapes to S avor BUNGALOWS AND BLISS
Whether you’re looking to book a tropical trip this winter or want to live vicariously through descriptions of dream destinations, this article is for you! From overwater bungalows to swim-up bars, these resorts redefine relaxation in some of the world’s most glamorous getaways.
overwater villas in the world, perfect for viewing the area’s breathtakingly clear waters.
And if you’re a fan of exploring tropical travel via social media, you’ve likely caught an eyeful of Instagram favorite Soneva Jani . This Maldives destination provides guests plenty of playful options, ranging from a waterslide to a trip on one of the resort’s seaplanes. Of course, an extraordinary vacation doesn’t necessarily mean spending time in an expansive environment. Those looking to balance luxury with a low-key vibe should check out Gili Lankanfushi Maldives , a boutique resort that invites guests to lounge on a private water hammock as their worries wash away. FRESH PERKS IN FRENCH POLYNESIA Outdoor bungalows are also a big hit in Bora Bora. In addition to in-room pools, the Four
Seasons Bora Bora resort offers guests a view of Mount Otemanu that all intrepid travelers should experience at least once. Over at the Westin Bora Bora , vacationers can take in the locale’s modern aesthetics while sipping cocktails at its swim-up bar. If you plan to travel with a large group, the two-story Presidential Suites and overwater villas at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui are outstanding options. Not surprisingly, Bora Bora isn’t the only place to visit in French Polynesia. Although the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort and Spa tends to book up quickly due to its smaller size, it’s worth trying to get a room for this vacation spot’s famous snorkeling sites alone.
A SPECTACULAR SOUTH ASIAN SOJOURN
If you want to add flavor to your wintertime festivities with an international jaunt, the Maldives, just southwest of India, is home to some of the world’s most renowned resorts. Celebrated for its spacious rooms, private pools, and “floating breakfasts,” The Ritz- Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands , boasts seven restaurants offering a vast array of global delicacies. Another Maldives mainstay, Soneva Fushi , offers some of the largest
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