INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The law governing custody arrangements is determined by the law of the state in which you live. Therefore, your first step should be to understand the law relating to custody for your particular state, which will outline the factors courts are allowed to consider when making custody decisions. You can start with this list of child-custody laws organized by state. You can also find summaries of state custody laws online. Consider talking with an attorney in your area with family-law experience to get some advice regarding the specific laws of your state. Many attorneys will offer an initial consultation free of charge. You can also search specifically for the custody laws of your state. Type in "child custody laws" followed by the name of your state. Many states offer resources regarding custody law, either through the state's judicial branch or the state's Office of Attorney General. Most states use a standard aimed at ensuring that the "best interests" of the child are protected, which takes into account factors like the child's age and individual needs, each parent's ability to care for the child, any history of abuse/neglect, the bond between each parent and the child, and the wishes of the child. There are two different types of custody: legal and physical. Having sole legal custody of your child means that you will be solely responsible for making significant decisions concerning the child's welfare and future, such as decisions concerning education, medical care, and moral or religious development. Having sole physical custody means that your child will reside with, and be supervised by, exclusively you. The court can grant either or both of these types of custody to either parent, or determine they should share custody (known as joint custody). The type of sole custody you obtain will impact your life and the life of your child significantly, so make sure to take some time to think about what kind of custody you want, and what kind of custody arrangement is best for your child. While this varies somewhat based on state law, to win sole custody you must generally show that not granting you sole custody would somehow be harmful to the child (e.g., the other parent is unfit or unwilling to take care of the child for some reason). With that in mind, take some time to think about some of the factors courts generally consider when making this determination: The age and sex of the child. The judge may hold the view that the younger the child, the more she needs her mother; however, as the child grows older, she may need her other parent to a greater extent. The physical and mental health of everyone involved. The court will examine if either of the parents is mentally ill or suffers from a physical condition that may affect parenting. The wishes of the child (if the child is of a certain age, usually between 12 and 16). While a child does not get to decide which parent he will live with, the court will generally consider the child's wishes. The child's adjustment to her home, school, and community. When parents live in different communities, the court may be reluctant to move children who are already well-adjusted to their current home. The child's relationship with each parent, his siblings, and extended family. The court may be reluctant to move a child who has bonded with his siblings into a home where the siblings will not be living. Each parent's work schedule. Work schedules that require a parent to be absent from the home for long hours may not be ideal for a parent seeking custody. Which parent is more likely to ensure that the child maintains a relationship with the other parent. Which parent has been the child's primary caregiver. If one parent has done most of the work raising the child, the court may not want to remove the child from that parent's home. Generally, courts prefer awarding joint custody to parents involved in custody disputes to uphold a public policy of frequent and regular contact between a child and both parents. If you are seeking sole custody, you must show that any other custody arrangement would be harmful to the child in some way. To establish grounds for sole custody, you will likely have to persuade the court of one or more of the following: That the other parent is missing, absent, incarcerated, or has no desire to take part in raising the child. That the other parent has a substance-abuse problem. That the other parent has a history of domestic or family violence. That the other parent has issues with communicating, or that it is unlikely both parents will be able to mutually decide how best to raise the child. Begin compiling the evidence you have to support your argument that you should have sole custody. Based on the law of your state, use the information you have (1) about factors that the court will consider and (2) under what circumstances a court in your state will award sole custody. For example, if the other parent is abusive, compile medical records, any relevant court orders (e.g., a protection order), or police reports so that you can show these at the hearing to demonstrate a history of abuse. Or, if the child currently lives with you and makes good grades at school, you may want to use his or her report card as evidence of the child's adjustment to your home and community. Conversely, if the child currently lives with his or her other parent and has poor grades, you may want to use the report card to show that the child has not adjusted well to the other parent's home. Other types of evidence you might want to use includes: financial information (e.g., income tax returns, salary information, receipts documenting payments made to support the child), residential information (e.g., information about the environment you can provide for the child), and resumes for any experts who will offer testimony that supports you having sole custody. Again, think about each factor that the court will consider in making its custody determination, and decide what witnesses you may be able to call to prove that you should have sole custody. You will want to demonstrate, at a minimum, (1) that you have a good relationship with your child, (2) that you are able to sufficiently meet the unique needs of your child, and (3) that living with the other parent would have a negative effect on the child in some way. For example, you might call a teacher, day-care worker, therapist, or doctor to testify that you take good care of your child. You could also call anyone who can testify that you have always been the primary caregiver, that the other parent's work schedule causes him or her to be away from home for long hours, or that the child does not seem to have a relationship with the other parent.

SUMMARY: Research your state's custody law. Think about the type of sole custody you want. Analyze the factors courts consider when making custody decisions. Analyze the factors courts consider when awarding sole custody. Gather evidence that supports you having sole custody. Determine what witnesses you will call to testify.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: When it comes to headaches, they are very often triggered by certain foods or drinks. Once you notice a headache coming on, write down everything you recently drank or ate. This is important, as it will give you more information to consider when you look for patterns and triggers later. Some foods you might want to pay special attention to include: Aged foods Alcohol, particularly red wine Processed, fermented, or cured meats Food or drinks that are overly cold (like iced tea or ice cream) Smoked or dried food Caffeinated products MSG Chocolate Fish or shrimp Miso soup or yeast extract In addition to foods and drinks, medications and other substances can trigger the onset of a headache. As a result, you should record any medicine or substances you used prior to the onset of a headache. If you smoke tobacco or marijuana, record when you used them. If you're on a prescription medication for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, or anything similar, write down when you took them and how they impacted you. If you use a medication (prescription or over the counter) to treat your headache symptoms, record how well it works. Include herbal medicines Headaches can also be triggered by certain activities that you do every day. As a result, you should record what activities you engaged in prior to the onset of your headache. Pay attention to: Exercise habits Sleep habits Stress levels Places you visited prior to the onset of the headache. There is a chance your headaches could be triggered by the presence of mold, mildew, or chemicals in the air at a given location. Anything unusual you experienced before you got the headache.

SUMMARY:
Track what you eat and drink. Note what medications or other controlled substances you used. Record your activities.