Should I Share Custody of My Children?

 Posted on December 05, 2017 in Child Custody

If you are a parent facing divorce, you probably have a lot of questions and concerns. For many divorcing couples with children, one big hurdle is the issue of how the children should be raised. Some couples share custody 50/50 while others have a custodial parent who has the children more often and a non-custodial parent who has the children less often. There is no perfect way to determine custody of children post-divorce, but experts do have a few guidelines for divorcing parents.

Putting the Child First

Years of research have suggested that shared custody is the best for children. Professor of psychology and author Richard A. Warshak, PhD has made his life work studying the effects of divorce on children. His most recent findings suggest that children who spend at least 35 percent of the time with each parent do better than those who see one parent infrequently. Children who have both of their parents heavily involved in their lives tend to do better academically, socially, emotionally, and psychologically. They are also less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol or suffer from mental illnesses.

Linda Nielsen, professor of educational and adolescent psychology, has found that often shared custody turned out to be the best option for children even in situations in which one parent was hesitant to share custody or the parents disagreed about custody issues. Most child specialists agree that spending quality time with their parents is the best way for children to develop a good relationship with their parents and be successful later in life.

Issues of child custody—now called the allocation parental responsibilities in Illinois—are handled similarly to how property division, child support, financial division, and spousal support are handled during a divorce. Couples may decide on their own custody arrangement, or if they cannot reach an agreement, the courts will decide on the arrangement.

Children’s Safety Is an Important Factor

It is extremely important to note that the advice to share custody of children only applies if both parents are able to adequately look after the children and keep them safe. If one of the spouses has a history of addiction, unsafe living conditions, ongoing criminal activity, abuse, or neglect, he or she may not be suitable to have share parenting responsibilities for his or her children.

Considering Divorce?

The knowledgeable Wheaton child custody attorneys at Pesce Law Group, P.C. know that nothing is easy when it comes to divorcing with children. Our compassionate team is experienced in the applicable laws and ready to answer any questions you have. Contact us today to set up a free initial consultation.

Sources:

https://www.statnews.com/2017/05/26/divorce-shared-parenting-children-health/

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/curr/who-gets-the-kids-new-study-supports-shared-custody-for-children-in-divorce-20171011