Illinois parents who are divorcing or who have never been married will need to create a parenting agreement that details how each parent will play a role in the life of their child. These agreements can be difficult to negotiate, especially when very young children are involved because infants and toddlers grow so quickly and their needs change often. When a child is a breastfeeding infant, parenting time can be especially tricky to manage because the child needs to frequently be with her mother. 

Do Children Need Their Mother More When They Are Very Young? 

This is a complex question with answers that vary depending on whether you examine the issue from a political, social, or child-development perspective. While only mothers can breastfeed, it is essential for fathers to be involved in an infant’s development. Learning to feed a child, care for a child, and manage the frustrations and joys of early parenthood is crucial for forming a strong bond between both parents and their infant. 

Illinois, like many states, has tried to move beyond the presumption that mothers are always the most nurturing parent. But when it comes to the question of a breastfeeding infant, the challenges are more logistical than ideological. Research is quite clear that, whenever possible, breastfeeding is important for child development. Furthermore, the mother needs regular access to the infant or a pump to keep up her breastfeeding schedule and milk supply. 

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Thanks to an increase in awareness and treatment options, mental illness is being diagnosed and treated at a higher rate than it has been in the past. Many mental illnesses are now better understood and much of the stigma surrounding them has dissipated as public understanding has increased. 

Yet certain mental illnesses are still more disruptive than others, and this is particularly true when the person who suffers from a mental illness is also a parent of young children. In Illinois divorces or custody disputes, both parents’ mental health may be scrutinized carefully and their personal problems dissected in what can feel like a very public manner. If you are struggling with mental illness and wondering whether a psychological evaluation could be used against you, read on. 

What Kind of Psychological Examination Can Be Ordered? 

When the best interests of a child are in question, a judge may order a thorough mental health evaluation. A trained, qualified, and unbiased medical professional will conduct interviews, assign questionnaires, and request meetings to talk about your thoughts and feelings. They may request your mental health history, including past records of treatment or hospitalization, and may want to observe your behavior over an extended period of time. 

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An interesting and complex area of child development has recently gained significant attention in news media and family law: Gender identity in minor children. Every day, it seems that there is new research and information on appropriate parental responses to this challenging situation, and parents often have conflicted or confused feelings about which approach they want to take. 

This can be especially problematic when Illinois parents are divorced and share parental responsibilities. One of the most important areas of parental responsibilities is that of a child’s health care. Because transgender or gender nonconforming children often seek gender-reaffirming treatments like hormone therapy or surgery, parents are confronted with a tough choice about which they may strongly disagree. If you have a child who is struggling with their gender identity, you may want to learn more about how this could impact your parenting strategy. 

What is the Difference Between Gender Nonconforming and Transgender? 

A transgender child often feels strongly that he or she was “born in the wrong body.” They may feel they have stereotypically female personality traits but appear to be phenotypically male. While there is some evidence that many, if not most, children with transgender feelings eventually desist later in life, there is no doubt that the feeling of being in the wrong body can be highly distressing while it persists. 

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After an Illinois divorce involving children under the age of 18, one parent is usually ordered to pay the other parent child support. While both parents’ incomes are taken into consideration for the purposes of determining child support payments, it is generally the parent with the majority of parenting time who receives child support payments. 

Life with children changes frequently and the parent receiving child support may be sensitive to the idea of receiving more support when it would benefit the children. He or she may want to keep track of their ex-spouse’s income and petition the court for an increase in child support if the ex gets a raise. But not every raise is an automatic guarantee of increased payments. If you are receiving child support in DuPage County and believe your child’s other parent got a raise and should be paying more, this blog may be helpful to you. 

Does a Small Raise Justify a Small Increase in Child Support? 

To prevent litigious parents from constantly pursuing specious cases against each other, Illinois courts are fairly strict about when child support may be modified. Generally speaking, a support order can only be changed if at least three years have passed since the original child support order was decreed, or if one parent has had a substantial change in circumstances. 

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The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services estimates that roughly 100,000 grandparents in Illinois are raising their grandchildren. For these people, the meaning of the word “grandparent” goes above and beyond the love and care most grandparents give to their grandchildren. 

When grandparents take the place of parents who are unable to care for their children, sometimes the best option is for the grandparent to adopt their grandchild. Any adoption is a long and complex process, but an experienced Illinois adoption attorney can answer any questions you may have and help make the adoption process easier. 

When Can a Grandparent Adopt Their Grandchild? 

Grandparents are often the natural choice when a child needs an adoptive parent because they already have a strong and stable presence in the child’s life. Grandparents may adopt whether they are married, single, or divorced, but certain circumstances must be met before a child can be adopted. Both parents must be unable to care for the child due to: 

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