Do’s and don’ts of sharing child custody

Parents going through a divorce in Arizona are more likely to want joint custody than parents of prior generations. Sharing custody is, generally, better for a child’s wellbeing, provided that neither parent is abusive or, otherwise, incapable of parenting. A parent’s failings in a romantic relationship, typically, do not indicate whether that parent is capable of caring for his or her children, which is something that divorcing spouses should bear in mind when discussing joint custody.

Even if a soon-to-be ex continues to be difficult to deal with during separation proceedings, parents should refrain from speaking ill of the other parent to their children. Children should not be put in the middle of custody battles or other divorce disputes; divorce is hard enough on children as it is. With this in mind, parents should focus their energy on ensuring the best transition possible for their children, which means making children feel comfortable expressing themselves to their parents. However, even if a child says negative things about one parent to the other, the other parent should resist the urge to join in on the criticism.

Parents who have demanding jobs should be realistic about their parenting capabilities. Some parents going through a divorce may vie for things like sole custody just to spite the other parent even when they do not want to or are not capable of handling it. Parents should avoid letting their egos dictate their child custody schedules.

Children’s needs should also be taken into consideration when creating a custody schedule. For instance, children should not have to give up any hobbies or after-school activities to make a custody schedule work. Custody schedules should also be modified based on the age of the children. A family law attorney licensed in Arizona can help parents with custody schedules or modifications.