If you’re going through a child custody battle, then joint custody is something that you’ve probably heard a few times. Perhaps you’ve shot down the idea because you want full custody or your ex decided that joint custody wouldn’t work. Before you determine that joint custody isn’t for you, we strongly recommend checking out our blog about family law. Joint custody is one of the many forms of custody that you can take advantage of. If you’re going through a custody battle, then we strongly encourage you to talk to a lawyer who is familiar with family law. At The Law Office Of Ronald Kossack, we can help you with child custody battles. All you need to do is reach out to us to schedule a free consultation.
What Is Joint Custody?
Today’s blog is all about joint custody. What it is, how does it work, and the pros and the cons of it. First, we’ll be addressing exactly what joint custody is and how it can be beneficial. Joint custody is and agreement that you’re going to share the time with your children. Shared custody means that both of you will be responsible for making the decisions and both of you will have physical custody of the children. This type of custody can be very beneficial for parents that are not cohabitating together, separated, divorced, or never lived together in the first place. Joint custody can be joint legal custody, joint physical custody, or joint legal and physical custody.
When Joint Custody Works
So how does joint custody work? It’s relatively simple, but it comes down to how the parents act around each other. Joint or shared custody can work well when both parents agree that their number one priority is in the best interests of the child. Another way that it works is when both parents cooperate well together and can make decisions together. This means that you have an open flow of communication and you can come to a reasonable decision together.
An additional way that joint custody works is if the parents live close together and the logistics are worked out easily. Both parents wanting to be involved in raising their children as well as no history of child abuse, kidnapping, or domestic violence also make this method easy to incorporate in daily schedules. Joint custody is a great method because it works with parenting time schedules and children do better overall when both parents are involved in their lives.
The Joint Custody Agreements
Some of the joint custody agreements are when the parents can figure out a schedule that works well with housing arrangements, work requirements, and children’s needs. If one parent cannot agree on the schedule, then the court may impose. A common practice with joint custody is when a child splits weeks between each parent’s residences. However, there are other agreements that work as well such as alternative months, spending holidays or weekends together, or choosing one day of the week that the children will go to the other parents house. These are just some of the agreements that parents use; however, there are a variety of them such as nesting, which is when the parents take turns moving out while the kids stay in the family house.
The Pros Of Joint Custody
There are several pros to joint custody. The first being that both parents are in contact with their children and are involved in the children’s lives. While it can be difficult to go back and forth between the house, the parents get to spend as much time as possible with the kids. Additionally, it helps to unburden one of the parents and continue to share involvement.
The Cons Of Joint Custody
On the other hand, there are also cons. The cons include the children having to be moved around all of the time. It can become very overwhelming to constantly be moved back and forth between the houses, which can take a toll on the children. Another con is that parental noncooperation can have a lot of negative effects on the children. If a parent is unable to cooperate with the situation, the children can be seriously damaged emotionally and mentally. Additionally, it can be expensive to do joint custody. While two of everything can be a selling point for divorce, it gets costly.
How To Make Joint Custody Work
If you’re wondering how to make joint custody work, here are some suggestions to help you have a good relationship between you and your ex.
- Speak No Evil: It’s vital that you don’t speak ill of your ex in front of your children, so negative effects can be sidestepped.
- It’s Not About You: Remember, that this situation isn’t about you. If you are hurt from the divorce, try talking to a therapist, so you can create a positive flow of communication with your ex. This will help you understand that while it hurts, you’re putting the children before your needs.
- Be Realistic: You may think that you can do it all. However, be realistic when you create your schedule and what you commit to. It’s vital that you are realistic, so you don’t end up having to cancel days with your children because of work.
- Figure Out How To Communicate: Lastly, even though you’re not together anymore, it’s important that you figure out how to communicate with your ex. This will make it easier to set up arrangements and create a schedule that benefits the children.
If you need a family law attorney, then The Law Office Of Ronald Kossack can help. Contact us today for more information!