Child custody does not have to be a source of conflict

One of the most difficult aspects of divorce for many couples is figuring out how to minimize the impact of the process on their children. Fortunately, parents in California can take steps to reduce conflict between themselves when dealing with child custody and visitation issues. This can, in turn, have a positive impact on the children long-term.

Recent research showed that parents who are getting divorced may benefit from compartmentalizing their relationships with each other from their interactions with the children. This is because this might prevent a tumultuous relationship with an ex from affecting the children. This indicates that, even if two exes cannot get along well after the divorce is finalized, they can still have a decent co-parenting relationship if they separate their feelings about each other from the way in which they parent and interact with the children.

The research also showed the importance of having regular contact with the children following divorce. This is because regular contact can enable parents to find out details about their children’s lives — for instance, who their friends are and their performance in school. According to the study, parents who interacted with the children once a month and had poor co-parenting relationships with their exes knew less about the children when compared with even more conflicting co-parents who saw the children more frequently.

When it comes to child custody, the best situation is for two parents to come up with a parenting agreement that satisfies both of them. This will keep them from having to fight over child custody in court. Otherwise, they must rely on the court to determine which parent(s) will gain physical and legal custody of the children. Either way, an attorney in California can provide a divorcing parent with the guidance needed to pursue an outcome that is personally favorable while still considering the children’s best interests.