Child custody rights are an issue, especially if the parents are going through a divorce. This is basically where you would know if your child will primarily live with you or not. This is actually one of the most heavily contested decisions when it comes to divorce proceedings. Not a lot of people know what exactly this is about, except probably the fact that it involves children.
TYPES OF CHILD CUSTODY
• The first one is known to be a physical custody, which gives a parent the right to live with his or her child.
• The second one is known to be the legal custody, which talks about the child’s upbringing, such as her education and health care.
• There is also what they call sole and joint custody, wherein both parents are given the rights to be with the child. Most of the time it is the visitation rights.
The parents will have to agree on a particular time and date on when the other parent can spend time with their child. This would depend on the court’s decisions, as well as the child’s emotional stage and living situation.
If you truly believe that you deserve your child custody case, then here are a couple of Do’s and Don’ts that you should keep an eye on.
DO’s
• Be Civil With Your Ex
This has got to be one of the ideal things to do especially if you’re battling with child custody. The court would always choose the side who will be a good model for the child.
If you show that you are being civil with your ex and that you are willing to work with him or her for your child, then you will have a chance on winning your case.
It simply shows that you are mature and can handle situations where you need to be at least civil.
• Perception Is Everything
During a child custody battle, the court wouldn’t really care that much about who is telling the truth or not, because parents will most likely lie about being good enough for the child. That is why perception is everything.
That is why you must try to show them that you are responsible enough to look after your child, such as always being in time on meetings and hearings, being a hundred percent involved, and of course competent. It would also help to dress appropriately for court while demonstrating proper courtroom etiquette that you could ask for your lawyer’s help.
• Be Prepared With Documentation
If you have any proof to show the court that the other parent is not capable or not responsible enough to look after the child, you must give it to your lawyer for review.
DON’Ts
• Talk Negatively About Your Ex
A sign of a civil and mature individual is to simply not talk negatively about another person. It would be best to simply talk when you’re spoken to especially during hearings, and try not to bad mouth the other parent because this might show immaturity. The documented proof could help you more instead of just saying things yourself.
• Be Late On Visits or Constant Rescheduling
If you are given visitation rights temporarily by the court, then be sure to obey the time and date at all times. Refrain from skipping it or rescheduling because that would only show that you are not interested.
This is the perfect time for you to prove that you are committed and that you are really doing everything to keep your child. If the court wants you to take parenting classes or counseling, then do it. This could be a demonstration on how far you could go in order for you to be with your child.
No matter what happens, the most important thing to consider is what will be the best decision for the children involved. They will be the ones who will get affected the most and unfortunately, some children get too affected that it would really ruin their relationship to one or both parents.