When going through divorce, you still want to put your child’s well-being and best interest first.
This might mean choosing joint custody, which serves as a strong option for many different families.
How does joint custody work?
Joint custody is such a popular option that Forbes recent put out an article questioning whether joint custody should become the default assumed custody option. This is a major change from just a few decades into the past, where sole custody held the inarguable position as most common custody arrangement.
Over time, however, studies have continually shown the benefits associated with joint custody. Children tend to have stronger and healthier coping mechanisms and build better relationships in the future. Parents have stronger ties with their children and form healthy bonds that can last a lifetime.
Who is not fit for joint custody?
Not every family situation suits joint custody, of course. This is particularly true of families with one parent facing accusations of neglect or abuse, even if the alleged victim was not a member of the family.
It is also harder for parents living at a distance to carry out joint custody together. In particular, if one parent faces incarceration or currently serves as an active duty service member, then they may not be able to stay present in their child’s life to the degree that joint custody typically requires.
You can work out unique custody arrangements if your co-parent is currently unable to help but will be able to in the future. Likewise, if you try joint custody and find that it does not suit your lifestyle, you can opt for something else.