When it comes to family breakups, often the most difficult part is working out child custody. The problem is that both you and your ex-partner want to spend as much time with your child as possible. And so, end up fighting about who he or she spends their time with. It’s a difficult situation and one that’s made worse by your emotions.
Deep down you both want what’s best for your child, but your anger and sadness at the other parent can often lead to a nasty custody battle. If you and your ex-partner both want different things, that makes working out an agreement even harder. To help make the custody process a little easier, here are a few tips.
Consider co-parenting
The chances are that the reason you and your ex-partner are fighting is because you both want to spend as much time with your kids as possible. So why not co-parent instead of having a set custody agreement? Co-parenting gives you both joint access to your child, and allows you both to see them as much or as little as you like.
For your child, co-parenting is the best option as they know that they can see mum or dad whenever they like. They don’t have to worry about court orders and agreements, they can spend as much time with each parent as they want to. Of course, for this to work, you and your ex-partner need to be amicable with one another.
Speak to a lawyer
If your ex-partner isn’t open to co-parenting, the next step is to speak to a lawyer. Don’t just pick any lawyer, get in touch with a family law company like Hodge Jones Allen, so that you have access to all the best advice. If you want a good outcome, a specialist lawyer is a must.
It might not be the route that you want to go down, but if your partner isn’t amicable, a custody court order might be the best option. You need to think about what’s best for your child, and if that’s a court-appointed agreement for who has them when, then it’s important to get one.
Do what’s best for your children
No matter what, when it comes to custody, it’s important to do what’s best for your kids. Don’t worry about upsetting or angering your ex-partner, what you need to think about is your little ones. They need to have the chance to spend time with both their mum and their dad. And if a court case is the only way to get them that, then that’s what has to be done.
The most important thing when it comes to doing what’s best for your children means not involving them in your arguments over custody. Don’t let them see you get upset or don’t allow them to overhear you arguing with their father.
Working out child custody can be hard, but if you take note of this advice, you can make the process a little easier.
