Divorce Joint Custody
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Joint Custody of children is gaining popularity due to 2 reasons.
An increasing number of men and women have now realized the importance of the presence of fathers in the lives of the children. The number of fathers, who are not satisfied to play the role of a biweekly visitor, is increasing.
There is an increasing demand for mothers to work full time. Such a full time job is difficult to manage along with sole custody.
Ideas to make Divorce Joint Custody successful
- In the presence of the children, one parent must respect the other and avoid being critical of the other parent. Every parent must assist the child to love the other parent irrespective of the relation between them (i.e. the parents). It should be borne in mind that in joint custody, the child can and should have affection towards both parents
- Each parent must give first priority to the child. The parents must attend the child's piano recitals, concerts, school play, games etc. There must be conversation between the child and the parents regarding the incidences in the child's life and social circle. The parent must find out what is of interest to the child
- Both parents must ensure that communication between the two is always open. Let us assume that the ex spouses cannot stand one another. However, they must remember that for the sake of the child, it is unavoidable for them to talk. Due to proper communication and coordination between the parents, the child feels secure
- The father and the mother should realize and accept the realities of parenting. They should have a flexible attitude and must be willing to compromise. The ex spouses must realize that their convenience and schedule is less important than the requirements of the child
- There is no harm in making new friends with the opposite sex or dating and having a good time. However, it is not advisable to embark on any serious relationship while fulfilling the parenting responsibilities. If the attention of a parent towards his/her child gets diverted or divided, this is a bad turn in the life of the child
Advantages and Disadvantages of Divorce Joint Custody
Advantages
- In sole custody arrangements, child support is paid 46 percent of the time. In joint custody, this rises to 75 percent. Thus, children are benefited materially
- When a parent moves out of the house, the child frequently feels a traumatic sense of rejection and loss. Joint custody lessens these feelings
- The child enjoys a normal time with both parents
- When there is cooperation between the parents and absence of legal dispute, the child is benefited
- The child can retain a robust relationship with both the father and the mother
Disadvantages
- If the marital issues between the parents are unresolved, the family conflict worsens in joint custody
- It has been observed that sometimes fathers are not prepared for the actual responsibilities of joint custody
- The psychological impact on the child is that he/she feels lack of control and chaos
- As the child is not settled at one place, his/her life becomes identical to a traveling salesman
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