On behalf of The Law Office of Gustavo E. Frances, P.A.
The topic of child custody is never an easy one, even if you have a good relationship with the other parent of your children. If the relationship is good enough where shared custody can be arranged you are one of the lucky few out there to enjoy such an agreement. Even if shared custody is granted by the court it can still be difficult to make it a success. Our Fort Lauderdale child custody lawyer offers the following five ways to make shared custody a roaring success.
Have a Realistic View of Scheduling
One of the most important things you can do for yourself, your children, and the other parent are to have a realistic view when it comes to scheduling. Don’t try to commit to things when you aren’t sure if it’s possible or not. This will only disappoint your children when you cannot make it or even upset the other parent if they missed out on time they could have spent with the kids. Don’t treat custody emotionally but more like a business so you can make smart decisions about the schedule.
Bad Spouse Doesn’t Equal Bad Parent
A bad spouse does not equal a bad parent. This is a mantra that you must live by if you want shared custody to be successful. Just because your former spouse was not a strong mate doesn’t mean it will transfer over to how they live their life as a parent. There’s a much different love between two spouses and a parent to a child.
It’s About the Children
You need to take this one to heart: it’s all about the children now. The divorce, if you went through one, was about you and your former spouse getting what you wanted from each other. Now that the divorce is over it’s time to focus on the children and only the children. They need to be the center of attention in your life and the life of the other parent.
Find a Line of Communication
The two of you must find a line of communication that works for both of you and does not put the children in the middle. Even though you’ve been awarded shared custody it does not mean that the two of you will be able to speak to each other without getting angry or into an argument. The line of communication could be phone calls, emails, texts, or even face-to-face (if the relationship is strong enough).
Review the Agreement Periodically
Make sure you review the agreement periodically to see if there are any areas it can be updated. This is best done as the children get older and their personalities change. Maybe you and the other parent have changed in how you live your lives and there might need to be changes made to the agreement.
Are you fighting with your former spouse about child custody? Do you need help coming to a shared custody agreement? Contact or calling at 954-533-2756 our Fort Lauderdale child custody attorney to discuss your situation and learn how you can make shared custody a success.
