Parental Child Abductions An Unhappy Holiday Tradition
When the topic of child abductions arises, most people’s minds go immediately to stranger danger. Fortunately, those cases are very rare. About 99% of abductions are committed by family members — 78% by non-custodial parents, and 21% by other relatives. In about 82% of those cases, the abductor intends to change custody permanently and never return the child. And the likelihood of abduction tends to increase around the holiday season. Just like with summer vacation, the holidays present time for potential abductors to plan and create opportunities for travel. Parents who are unhappy with the current custody agreement and don’t get along with their co-parent are more likely to abduct their child. Particularly at risk are children with parents who are not from the U.S. and wish to return to their country of origin. “Coming out of COVID, people are behaving in very unexpected ways,” Michael Manely explains. “People are seriously reevaluating their lives — and that’s a good thing. They’re getting to the bottom of who they are and what they want to do. Sometimes that leads to altruistic ends and people give back to their communities. Other times, they decide they really want to take their kids back to their country of origin and really don’t want to deal with the other co-parent.” Parents can protect themselves and their children from an abduction by ensuring an iron-clad agreement is in place before any planned travel, especially if that travel is international. Most custody agreements outline exactly what steps need to be taken to travel with a child, and they generally require that a detailed itinerary be provided to the other parent. An additional legal agreement for the specific trip can provide even more protection, and one is essential if the custody agreement does not lay out travel guidelines. If a parent does not want their child traveling out of the country at all, they can also request their passport be surrendered to the court. Such a step is wise in particularly volatile co-parenting relationships. While an abduction is always a traumatic experience, a firm legal agreement generally results in a swift reunion. If you need a supplementary travel agreement, or if your custody agreement does not include provisions for travel, don’t delay in contacting The Manely Firm to get your documents in order. It’s the best way to protect your child.
“W hen someone tells me ‘ no ,’ it doesn ’ t mean I can ’ t do it ; it simply means I can ’ t do it with them .” — K aren E. Q uinones M iller
DIY H oliday E ggnog
Inspired by TastesBetterFromScratch.com
Making your own eggnog is easier than you think! This creamy, delicious drink will be a hit with your holiday guests.
I ngredients
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6 egg yolks
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1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups milk
Cinnamon and whipped cream, for garnish
D irections 1.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cream, milk, nutmeg, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Add a spoonful of the milk mixture to the egg mixture. Whisk vigorously and repeat, one spoonful at a time.
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When most of the milk is whisked in, add the egg mixture to the saucepan. Whisk until the liquid thickens slightly or reaches 160 F. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. Pour the eggnog into a glass container and cover. Refrigerate. When the eggnog has thickened, pour it into glasses, garnish, and enjoy!
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