Divorcing parents often have difficulty reaching a satisfactory custody agreement. They are both so keen to spend as much time with their children as possible that they are willing to fight tooth and nail to get what they want.
There is certainly a time to fight hard, such as if your spouse poses a threat to your child’s safety. Yet, for most divorcing couples, it is better to take a more conciliatory approach.
Here is why:
It is better for your child
Except where safety is an issue, children benefit from the continued presence of both parents in their lives. As married parents, you will each have fulfilled different needs in your child’s life. Why change that when you don’t have to?
It can shorten the divorce process
The longer your divorce takes, the more it is likely to cost. The longer it takes, the longer you and your children stay in limbo. The sooner you finalize things, the sooner you can all get on with building your new lives.
It will make future cooperation easier
If you turn custody into a fight, then you will both feel battered and bruised by the end of it. You may each harbor resentment about tactics the other used in court. If, instead, you work together as a team to reach a solution that is in your child’s best interests; it should be simpler to work together as co-parents in the future.
Seeking legal help to examine options for custody of your children is a great start.
