Your number one goal in child custody decisions should not be to get what you want but to do what is best for your child.
You might assume those are the same things, but if you step back a moment, you might see they are not always the same.
Making the right decision can be challenging in the heat of a divorce
Here is how divorce often goes – you think you know what is best for your child, and so does your spouse. The problem is those two opinions are at odds with each other. Can both of you be right?
You might be justified in believing you are the better parent or that you can provide your child with better accommodation than your spouse. That does not mean they should stay with you all the time.
Children do not need perfect parents and ideal living conditions. They need two parents who love them and continue to play a significant role in their lives. If you have your child all the time, or the vast majority of it, it diminishes the other parent’s chance to contribute to their child’s life.
Courts prefer that the child gets to see a decent amount of both parents unless doing so would be detrimental to the child. Detrimental does not mean your spouse will allow your child to eat burgers and chips instead of the healthy diet you encourage. It means they present an actual physical or mental risk to your child.
It can be hard to think well of your spouse when in the middle of a divorce. Yet you need to avoid confusing your differences with their abilities to be a good parent to your child.
Getting legal help to mediate with your spouse over custody can help you set aside your differences and come to a custody agreement in your child’s best interests.