How do we Make Joint Custody Work for our Family?
By Steve Bardol on September 15th, 2014 in blog
After the custody agreement is settled, you and your ex-spouse decide that for your children’s sake, joint custody is the best option for you. Allowing both of you to remain in their lives on a daily basis is important to all. But you’ve heard the sad tales of divorced families headed toward troubles, sparked by disorganization and plagued by miscommunication.
You don’t want to become victim to another mismanaged custody arrangement. Although you are getting divorced, you are still acting as a parenting-team with your spouse. The best way to do this is by creating a solid custody schedule. According to SingleParents.com, it is necessary to find a routine that suites your entire family. They suggest a few rotations, including the alternating week schedule, 2-2-3 day rotation, and a 2-2-5-5- day routine. These schedules work for some, but not others. Your situation is unique! Some pertinent things to consider when determining which schedule is right for you are:
- Your child or children’s age(s),
- Both parent’s work schedules,
- School schedules and location of school in relationship to each spouse,
- Extracurricular activities, including the frequency and location.
Joint custody is not an easy job for any parent, and especially the child. Despite the routine, bouncing back and forth can be tiring and emotionally stressful. In a recent post, Parents.com offers nine ways to make joint custody go smoothly. Below are a few we thought are key to making this process go smoothly:
- Don’t speak badly about your spouse.
- Even though your spouse was a bad life partner, that doesn’t mean they are a bad parent.
- Listen to your child and communicate with your spouse.
While your child may experience some rockiness through the post-divorce fall out, by creating this schedule—and sticking to it—the transition will become easier to adjust to. However, if your child does have problems with the schedule or you decide that joint custody is not actually the right option for you and your family, be sure to contact your local family lawyer in St. Louis, Missouri.
Photo Credit: bradleygee via Compfight cc
