South Dakota is most famous for the badlands and the Black Hills National Forest. No matter what the weather is like you can’t come to South Dakota without seeing Mount Rushmore. Granted the weather might be chilly but this is an epic sculpture that shouldn’t be missed. The sculpture on the mountain features the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The mountain is located in the Black Hills and is the world’s largest mountain carving. The faces are 60 foot high and 500 feet up. They look out over a setting the forest of the Black Hills.

Dress warm for the South Dakota State Parks weekend “Walk in the Park” program. These are held every weekend throughout the month and feature a wide variety of educational programs. These are guided hikes that give you the opportunity to learn about the parks and the wildlife that reside there. In the winter months enjoy snowshoe stomps, hikes, the Bald Eagles and other animal events. Events are held on the weekends and at various times and at different parks. Be sure to check the South Dakota State Parks site for more information for planning.

The Annual Artists of the Plains Art Show and Sale is held in Sioux Falls every February. The event is the longest running regional art show that promotes artists from the area. The public has the opportunity to view art by twenty-five invited artists. Themes range from Western and Native American to wildlife. There is also a silent auction that is held to give you the opportunity to purchase some of the art yourself. Awards are also handed out to the best of the show for paintings as well as three-dimensional artwork.

The National Music Museum is located on the campus of The University of South Dakota in Vermillion. The museum is filled with more than 10,000 instruments from various cultures and eras. They also offer audio tours that will lead you through the massive collection of musical instruments and artifacts. In South Dakota you have many options of things to do in February. Whether you want to stay warm and browse the many museums or enjoy the snow and learn to snowshoe, the options are endless.

The South Dakota laws that direct how custody works in the state are found in Chapter 25-4 of the South Dakota Codified Laws. Within these laws, parents can find the necessary guidelines for creating an implementing a custody and visitation schedule. Since the custody schedule is such an important result of the custody proceeding, parents want to do everything they can to make sure that the court will accept it. Here are some of the laws that parents should know that affect the custody schedule.

1. No preference for custody. Chapter 25-4-45 makes it very clear that the state has no preference for either parent regarding custody. The mother and father both have an equal chance to be the custodial parent. Thus, when a parent shows the custody schedule to the court, there need to be valid reasons why that schedule is the best one for the child. The court will want to know how they schedule fulfills the child’s needs, promotes the child’s welfare, etc.

2. The best interest of the child. Chapter 25-4-45 also explains that all custody matters must be settled in a way that benefits the child. Everything in the visitation schedule should be in the child’s best moral, mental, and physical best interest. Parents should think about what their child needs and make the schedule accordingly.

3. The child’s preference. The law specifies that as a child gets older, the child has more say in the custody and visitation schedule. The court will listen to the opinions and desires of a child regarding custody matters, and more weight is given to a more mature child. Parents can seek the opinion of the children when making the schedule. They should consider their children’s wishes as they make the schedule and they should talk to them about why they are putting certain things in the schedule, especially if they aren’t following the child’s wishes.

4. Factors that influence who gets custody. Chapter 25-4-45.5 and 45.6 contain some of the factors that the court does and does not consider when deciding which parent gets custody and how the parents will work out visitation. If a parent has been convicted of domestic abuse or other crimes, that parent may not be awarded any visitation in the agreement. There is the possibility for supervised visitation if a parent shows that they want to change. If a parent has been convicted of the death of the other parent they will also not receive visitation or custody.