| Not all parents are perfect. Our notoriously high | | | | child’s home life after a traumatic divorce. |
| divorce rate is indication enough of that. While | | | | However, two issues should be kept in mind. First, |
| divorcing parents suffer during the breakup on their | | | | Seattle family law lawyers are generally not parenting |
| marriage, children suffer in family breakups even | | | | or mental health professionals, and so the decision to |
| more. Things can get even worse for children when a | | | | enter into a step parent adoption situation should be |
| divorce proceeding reveals a major problem with one | | | | made with the advice of other professionals |
| parent’s parenting due to violence or substance | | | | regarding the child’s well being. Second, before a |
| abuse. Seattle family law lawyers unfortunately | | | | child may be adopted both legal parents must |
| frequently encounter cases where one parent’s | | | | consent to the adoption. This means that the |
| contact with children is greatly restricted or even | | | | non-custodial parent’s parental rights must either |
| prohibited. | | | | be extinguished or voluntarily relinquished. Seattle |
| While it may be best to separate children from some | | | | family law lawyers recognize that this can put the |
| parents in some cases, children still suffer some ill | | | | non-custodial parent in a bad spot as giving up |
| effects when they live with only one parent. One | | | | one’s parental rights might mean losing contact |
| possible solution according to Seattle family law | | | | with their child forever, but doing so might be in the |
| lawyers is step parent adoption. When a custodial | | | | child’s best interest considering the |
| parent remarries, that step parent can adopt step | | | | circumstances. |
| children, an arrangement that may help stabilize a | | | | |