Corey Vargas is a 21-year-old kid who was walking his dog in the desert outside of Phoenix, AZ, and fell 30 feet into a dry riverbed. He broke his back in several places and laid there, paralyzed and helpless, for three long days. That Corey survived is a miracle. He surely had a guardian angel watching over him (and sometimes guardian angels come in animal form). It was his dog, Ace, who stayed by his side and kept him safe until he could be rescued. Thankfully, Corey has his life back. But...

Our society is changing fast. Today, women have opportunities like never before, and they are making the most of their new situation. A USA Today analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data reveals some startling statistics: In 1976 only 6 percent of families consisted of a wife who was the sole breadwinner. Today, wives are the sole breadwinner in 23 percent of all families;Wives now out-earn their working husbands 28% of the time. Twenty-five years ago only 16% of wives out-earned their husband;In...

I am leaving in a few minutes to attend the investiture ceremony for Arizona's newest Supreme Court Justice, Ann Scott Timmer. Judge Timmer was my first law clerk while she was still a student at Arizona State University School of Law. Upon graduating from law school, she went on to work for a prestigious law firm in the Phoenix area. After proving her worth as an attorney, she became a Maricopa County Superior Court judge and, later, was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals. Now she will...

The massacre of kindergarten children and their teachers in Newtown, Connecticut is the latest, and most gruesome, an example of what appears to be a growing trend. It's the new domestic terrorism. Murder without motive. No ideology. No purpose other than to take innocent lives. This insanity must be stopped, but how? Stricter gun laws? A greater focus on identifying and treating mental illness? Ending the glorification of violence in video games, movies, and television? Armed guards in...

Let’s face it, the holidays are stressful under the best of circumstances. But for a divorced parent, or someone going through a custody dispute, the holidays can be a grueling experience. The good news is that there are proven strategies that can help make the holidays bearable and . . . (dare I say?) . . . even fun. Here is my Top Ten List for getting through the holidays: 1. Plan in Advance Going into the holiday season with your parenting plans up in the air can be a source of stress not...

The 2012 U.S. Census Bureau statistics on motherhood in America paint a complex picture. The number of single mothers living with children under 18 has almost tripled in the past 30-40 years. Over five million mothers had child support orders that were unpaid as of 2009. More than 55% of mothers who recently gave birth were working to support themselves and their children, as of 2010. More children are in daycare than ever before, and that number is growing. There were more than 800,000...

Being a divorced dad isn’t easy. You are now a single parent. You no longer have another parent to lean on. When the kids are with you, they are really with you. That’s the tough part. But it’s also the great part.  You have not only the responsibility but the opportunity, to develop a loving and lasting relationship with the most important people in your life – your children. Here are five tips to help you become the best dad you can be: 1.  Listen attentively. When your children are talking...