Jurisdiction for a child custody decision lies in the state where the child resides. If a parent has recently removed the child from the state of Maryland, and the parties were married or divorced in Maryland, the state’s Courts retain jurisdiction, as long as the parent who removed the children from the state can be located and notified of the custody action. If you already have a custody order you should file for custody in the court that issued the order. If you do not already have a custody order, you should file in the county court in the county where the child resides or last resided. Talk to your children’s other parent, and if you can come to an agreement on custody, filing together can make the process go much more quickly. However, if you find that cannot come to an agreement, you may want to file alone.

Summary: Determine if Maryland Courts have jurisdiction for a custody case. Determine which court should hear your custody action. Decide if you will file alone or if your children’s other parent will join in the action.


. Holding grudges against your parent(s) or yourself is not a healthy way to repair a relationship. Therefore, it is helpful to forgive your parent(s) for any mistakes they made. You may also want to forgive yourself for how you reacted to those mistakes.  Keep in mind that forgiveness is not about the other person. It is important for your own emotional well-being. By forgiving your parent, you are choosing to let go of the anger you feel towards him or her, but you are not saying that what your parent has said or done to you is okay.  To forgive someone, you will need to make a conscious choice to let go of the anger that you feel. One way to do this is by writing a letter to your parent that you do not send. In the letter, express your feelings honestly about what happened, why it angered you, and why you think that your parent did these things.   Then, close your letter by writing something to the effect of, “I am not okay with what happened, but I am choosing to release my anger about it. I forgive you.” You can also say this out loud to yourself. You need to tell your parent(s) how you feel and why you became distant in the first place. There is no way for them to work on a problem that they are unaware exists. Do not be accusatory or disrespectful. Tell them how you feel, not what they’ve done. Rather than saying “You took away my rights as a person,” a more constructive thing to say might be “I felt as though I had no right to be my own person.” Once you begin to repair the relationship, you want to avoid backsliding into old habits. Decide ahead of time which decisions your parent(s) can weigh in on, and which ones they cannot. Also, boundaries should be set for which decisions you can weigh in on for your parent(s), or what things you can ask of them.  For example, you might decide that you might consult your parents about major career decisions, such as what college to attend or whether or not to take a job offer. However, you might leave them out of more personal decisions, such as who to date and whether or not to marry someone. You could also refuse to weigh in on certain issues that your parents bring up to you, such as love life issues. However, you might decide to offer your support if a parent is dealing with a major medical issue, such as cancer or heart problems.

Summary: Resolve the past Confront your parent(s) respectfully. Set firm boundaries for both you and your parent(s).


You should treat finding a new job like a job in itself. Budget several hours each day, at a set time, to search for jobs. For example, you might decide that you will spend one hour each day at 1 p.m. making a list of five jobs that you're interested in. Then, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. you will fill out applications for those five jobs. Take some time to improve your resume and tailor it to the jobs you're interested in. If you're planning to change your line of work, edit your previous employment to emphasize skills that will be relevant to the new line of work. For example, if you were a computer programmer in your previous job and you're hoping to get into investment banking, emphasize the analytical skills required in your previous jobs. Depending on your financial situation, you may need to accept jobs that aren't your dream job. At the beginning of your job search, it's OK to apply only for jobs that you really want. If a few months go by and you're still unemployed, you should consider taking a job that isn't exactly what you're looking for.  For example, if you're searching for a job in programming but you're getting no offers, consider applying for jobs in IT instead. Remember that a non-ideal job doesn't have to be permanent and it may end up leading to other opportunities. Employers will want to know why you're experiencing a period of unemployment. Get in front of the issue by listing it on your resume and having an honest story to tell during interviews.  For example, on your resume you might write, “Laid off due to budget cut-backs. Seeking employment daily for the last two months.” In an interview, explain to your potential employer what you've been doing with your free time. Emphasize any activities that might be selling points. For example, you might say, “I usually apply to five-to-ten jobs a week. In my spare time, I've been learning how to program in HTML.” If you want to develop new skills, unemployment is a good time to consider going back to school. Think about what kind of jobs you want and choose a program that will give you the skills you need to get hired.  Avoid going back to school just to fill time. If you go back to school without a goal in mind, you may just end up accumulating more debt. You can also look for certificate programs or specialized training conferences that are shorter-term and will help hone your skills and make you an attractive candidate. Schooling is an additional expense, but there are many resources available to help fund your education. If you have a low income you may qualify for federal grants that you don't have to repay. If you don't qualify, you may be able to get low-interest loans through the federal government. Fill out the  FAFSA application to find out what aid you qualify for.
Summary: Make a plan. Update your  resume. Be flexible. Make a  good impression on employers. Learn  new skills.