One of the worst parts of going through a separation can be worrying about splitting custody of your children. In an ideal world, both parents are loving individuals who can come to an agreement to share custody that best suits the needs of their shared children. However, there are times when an agreement cannot be reached or a parent believes it is best for the children to only live with them. This can result in a custody battle, and there are right and wrong ways to go about winning so that the backlash doesn’t come back to haunt your children.
Parenting Tips: Custody battles can be difficult. Here are some ways to keep your kids during a custody battle.
It can be hard to share your children with their other parent; to go from being with them all the time to having to split time with another. Still, an agreement that prevents a custody battle is often the best solution for your children. Unfortunately, an equal agreement isn’t always suitable to meet your children’s needs and you’re forced to fight for custody. Cupid has some parenting tips on keeping your children during a custody battle:
1. Preparation: Not every attorney is equal. If you want to win your custody battle and keep your children you need to be prepared, and a big part of that is doing your research to ensure you hire a quality attorney with experience and a positive win record in child custody cases. A good attorney may not be the cheapest solution, but when it comes to keeping our children finding a cheap lawyer is not a great path to take.
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2. Know your kids: It is important that you know your children well. You may need to show that you know details about their education, sports they play, their favorite pastimes, and if they have any special needs. If you want to be the primary caregiver it’s important to show you’re invested in their lives and helping them be successful in life.
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3. Ensure you have good living arrangements: When you want custody of your kids it is important to be mindful of your home. You need to ensure your living arrangement shows that you are able to provide a stable physical environment for your children. While many judges may be flexible, you will need to show that the home you can provide has enough space for your kids, and it can also be helpful to find a home close to the original family home so the kids are not uprooted to far from familiar surroundings.
Being prepared, knowing your kids, and having a good living environment are important factors to consider when you want custody of your children. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.