June 18, 2014
By Rita Fuerst Adams, National Executive Director, National Parents Organization
National Parents Organization member Mike Connors has developed a following on TalkShoe for his regular podcast, Connor’s Corner. Using his success in this medium, Mike is hosting several podcasts about National Parents Organization’s issues and work. Mike is volunteering his expertise to promote National Parents Organization and to engage new members.
To kick it off, Mike invited me to speak with him about National Parents Organization’s key successes and our work on shared parenting and parental equality within family law. Our discussion is an overview of where National Parents Organization is in its goals; how I got involved; and where we are heading. Of course, my time with National Parents Organization has been marked with drastic change.
With founder and chair Ned Holstein, MD, MS, determined to develop a name and brand that communicates our mission, vision, and core principles, I identified two members with the professional credentials to lead us in the naming and branding of National Parents Organization. Dan Enthoven and Tim Gelling provided their expertise pro bono.
Their work was the beginning of the transformation. The next step was working with another member, Kevin Hughes, who developed our new website. From that, Tim created our e-newsletter format. Our technical needs have also been served by another dedicated volunteer, Paul Mickens. His knowledge of Salesforce. org has been invaluable. You may remember Paul from his video.
As we work with our affiliates to prepare to introduce shared parenting to Temporary Custody Orders in 2015, Mike and I will speak again. This is the beginning of us rallying our committed volunteers who are building affiliates in their states and bringing new members into the organization.
National Parents Organization believes we need a big push for shared parenting. One simple model piece of legislation to promote. One national voice to engage all of our affiliates and all of our volunteers. We see shared parenting in Temporary Custody Orders as this opportunity.
Before separation or divorce, a child interacts with both parents on a daily basis. It is critically important that the bond children share with each of their parents stays intact and is improved as much as possible to insulate the child from the negative effects of separation or divorce. It is premature to require the child to spend more time with one parent or the other before a court, mediator, or other professional has had an opportunity to understand the family dynamics and the relationship between the child and each parent.
Mike’s next guest will be Christopher Howard, chair of the Executive Committee for National Parents Organization of New York. Not only will Chris discuss the plans for our New York affiliate, but he will also address his eloquent Father’s Day message in our recent newsletter.
TalkShoe is an internet radio/podcasting site where individual users can create their own live on-line talk radio shows and syndicate them. TalkShoe’s name is a play on “talk show,” using Ed Sullivan’s pronunciation of the word “show” as “shoe.” It was launched in June 2006 by Dave Nelsen, a former employee of the Fore Systems telecommunication company.
TalkShoe was recognized as one of the “2010 Hottest Pennsylvania Companies” by Lead411.
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