If you’re going through a divorce and have children to think about, then you will eventually have a child custody agreement or order. Child custody determines each parent’s physical and legal custody. Physical custody is a parent’s responsibility to maintain their children’s daily schedule, including their housing, meals and school schedules. Legal custody determines each parent’s right to decide how their children are raised, such as their medical needs, schooling and religious upbringing
If you and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse agree to how your children are raised after the divorce, then you may have a child custody agreement. But, if you and your spouse can’t agree, the court may make a child custody order.
If you’re contemplating which child custody option is right for you and your children, then you may need to learn about the following custody options:
Joint custody
Joint custody, or co-parenting, means parents share legal and physical custody. Parents can work together to decide how decisions are made for their children. Parents can also devise a daily child custody schedule. A custody schedule helps maintain just how often each parent has their children. This schedule could, for example, rotate every few days, weeks or months depending on each parent’s daily life.
When parents co-parent, there is often a lot of communication to help ensure each parent feels as if they are participating in their children’s lives and giving them the upbringing that each parent wishes for. However, this doesn’t always work. Parents who still wish to maintain joint custody may try parallel parenting. Parallel parenting limits communication between parents and gives each parent more autonomy.
Sole custody
Some parents are not fit to raise their children. A court may award one parent with sole custody. Sole custody gives the parent with most or full responsibility to raise their children without the other parent’s input. The other parent may have some visitation rights so they can still be in their children’s lives.
Deciding what’s best for children after a divorce is difficult. You may want to reach out for legal assistance as you navigate a divorce with children.
