Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Keep a parenting time journal. Review your parenting plan. Send the custodial parent a demand letter.

Answer: This is your first and best evidence if your case ends up back in court. On a calendar or notebook, write down every time you see your children and if there were any problems with the child exchange. The decree is a contract, and like most contracts, enforcement gets difficult when the parties disagree. When you are first divorced, you may believe that you and your ex-spouse will cooperate on behalf of your children. As lives change, so do attitudes. Review your parenting plan in detail and understand exactly what parenting time you are entitled to. Provisions that may have seemed overly detailed or even amusing at the time, such as, "Defendant will pick up children between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on the first Monday after the last day of school for a 15-day extended visitation and return children no later than 6 p.m. on the fifteenth day," may now be vitally important. If your ex-spouse has been denying you the visitation spelled out in the decree, your first step is a demand letter. This puts the custodial parent on notice that, per the decree, you will be picking up the children and what your next action will be for non-compliance.   Keep your tone neutral and business-like. Include the divorce court case number, date, and the part of the parenting plan you are looking to enforce. This letter may end up being evidence. Do not write anything you would not be willing to read in open court.  Do not rely on emails and texts while you are demanding visitation. You need to put it in writing in anticipation of taking the custodial parent to court. If your ex-spouse continues to refuse, you can file a motion for contempt to enforce the visitation orders or you can file for a change of custody.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Consider the teacher's personality. Keep things short and to the point. Go for a plausible story. Remember all the details. Watch for physical giveaways.

Answer:
Before lying to a teacher, consider his or her personality. This can have an impact on how you should deliver your excuse.  If your teacher is particularly strict, be prepared to answer a lot of questions. A stricter teacher is likely to grill you, poking holes in your excuse. For example, say you claim you couldn't turn in your online math homework because your internet cut out. A strict teacher might respond with something like, "Then why didn't you go do your homework at a coffee shop?" Have a response ready. Try something like, "My mom was working and there was no one to drive me."  Do you know anything about your teacher's personal interests? This can help you gauge what excuse may work for this person. For example, you know your chemistry teacher is the oldest of 7 children. He may be more sympathetic to a story about how watching your younger siblings kept you from getting your work done. The briefer your excuse, the easier it will be to remember. When making up an excuse for a teacher, keep your story short. Going into excessive detail can seem suspicious and you'll also be more likely to accidentally change aspects of your story.  Stick to only the important details. For example, say you're planning on claiming your piano recital got out late, and this is why you didn't finish your math homework. Do not go overboard with the details. Simply say, "A few students played their solos too long, so we didn't get done until 9:30 and it was a 45-minute drive home." Do not say, "Chester Mifflin spent 25 minutes on his routine when we were only given 10, and then Lisa Gregory was a little late getting up on stage..." The longer your lie, the more unbelievable it sounds. Most people would not remember this much detail. If your teacher presses you for specifics, you can improvise as needed but avoid excessive detail. For example, your teacher might ask, "How long did the recital run over?" Do not say, "It was supposed to run until 8:30 but it was 9:23 when we got out." Instead, say something somewhat vague, like, "I'd say about 45 minutes." You want to give a story that's plausible. For example, using the above scenario as an excuse could work great. However, you should only use it if you actually had a piano recital that night. While you may have been lying about it running over, if your teacher checks the facts he'll see at least the basics are true. This means you're more likely to be believed. After giving your excuse, jot down some of the details. This can be especially helpful if you had to improvise during the lying process. Lies are often detected because the story changes over time. If you take an effort to remember the details you gave, your story will stay consistent. This can make your story more believable to others. Many people have unconscious physical signs that indicate they're lying. You may stutter excessively, fidget, or avoid eye contact when lying. Try to avoid appearing physically nervous when telling your story.  Take a few deep breaths before going into the room to help yourself stay calm. Make eye contact with your teacher most of the time. Be conscious of what you're doing with your body. Try to avoid fidgeting excessively.