As you are going through a divorce, who gets custody of your children is probably right at the top of your priority lists. Many parents instinctively want child custody rights all to themselves so they can spend as much time with their kids as possible. While this is certainly understandable, sole custody is probably not as beneficial as it seems on the surface.
Family law courts tend to favor joint custody agreements, and here’s why:
- Child’s development: If a child is born into a household with two parents, development of personalities and character traits tends to benefit from having consistent input from two parents. There are many case studies and arguments from child psychologists that a child will continue down a positive path after a divorce if they are allowed to see and live with each parent almost-evenly. On the other hand, sole child custody may increase the likelihood of the child isolating themselves from both parents.
- Financial stability: Raising a child is not cheap. Even with child support established as part of the divorce, it can be difficult to make ends meet while affording your child everything they need and deserve. If joint child custody is agreed upon, there is usually less financial strain on either parent as the cost of raising a child is split more 50-50 and less haphazardly.
- Free time: One of the greatest challenges of being a parent is finding some free time to do the things you want to do without anyone else interfering. If you gain sole custody of your children, the likelihood of you having “me time” will decrease even more. With joint custody, both you and your ex-spouse will find it is easier to get some crucial rest and relaxation, as the parenting time and responsibilities remain split.
Requesting Joint Child Custody
Setting up a joint child custody agreement might not be as easy as it sounds. Your ex-spouse might not want custody, despite them having an obligation to their children. Or, in a more likely scenario, they might want child custody to be divided along the lines of 80-20, where they see their children considerably more often than you do.
In order to get the child custody agreement that you want, you should approach the situation with a legal professional at your back. The Law Office of Russell S. Hershkowitz, L.L.C. can provide you with an Altamonte Springs divorce attorney with more than 25 years of legal experience, so you can feel confident in how your custody case is panning out. If you would like to start with a complimentary consultation, we encourage you to contact our team at your first opportunity.