Dissolving a marriage is seldom a cut and dried and easy process, where both parties are in complete agreement on all terms and everything goes cleanly and smoothly during all phases of proceedings. Things can especially get complicated when minor children are involved, since emotions tend to run high and parents must make a concerted effort to do what’s in the best interest of their little ones. It is imperative that parents consult a good family law attorney and gain an understanding of the basics about child custody: here’s more about it.
The differences between joint, shared and sole custody
Here are the three definitions in a nutshell:
–With joint custody, the child usually lives with one parent only, but the non-custodial parent is kept in the loop and involved in all of the important decision-making with regards to the child’s education, well-being, etc.
– Shared custody is a type of joint custody where the child will live with each parent part of the time.
– With sole custody, the child lives with one parent who has the authority to make all of the important decisions. However, the non-custodial parent may still enjoy visitation rights in many cases.
Joint custody is widely regarded as being the best possible situation for a child when it is carried off properly by both parents. The child has the stability that comes with living in a single home and maintaining a single daily routine; also, resentment by the non-custodial parent is minimized because he or she is still intimately involved in decision-making. Ideally, the custodial parent should make every effort to remain geographically close to the other parent, especially if that parent and the child enjoy a close relationship. In the best case scenarios, non-custodial parents are welcomed and invited to birthday parties, school plays, parent/teacher conferences, etc.
The jury is out on whether shared custody is really the healthiest option for a child or not. In fact, many experts think this is the worst possible living situation from the child’s point of view. It is difficult to work out logistically, and a child may feel torn between one home and another; so much so, in fact, that a child may not feel as if he has a real home at all. Control issues between parents are bound to rear their ugly heads as are competition and conflict. A child may be confused by two different sets of home rules or may manipulate their parents one against the other.
The best outcome is that parents are mature enough to work out a system that is agreed upon by both parties and that will be the least disruptive to a child’s life. They should work with a psychologist and with family law attorneys to draw up a plan that everyone will be happy with and that will ultimately be of the most benefit to the child.
Oldham Legal (http://www.oldhamlegal.com/) is a Certified Public Accountant also a member of California State Bar Association, Orange County Bar Association, Orange County Women’s Lawyers Association and American Bar Association. Art Gib is a freelance writer.
Article Source: ArticleSpan
