Divorce and separation affect over 190,000 kids globally every year – and child custody lawyers want separating parents to know a few things.
Too often, each parent wants their kids almost entirely for themselves, without considering the detrimental short-term and long-term psychological effects that this could have on their young ones.
Since 1989, the United Nations (and later the Australian Government) agreed that kids should have access to a meaningful relationship with both their mother and father. This came in light of psychological research which showed that having both parents in their life is essential for their wellbeing and development.
So what does this mean for parents? Here’s what child custody lawyers want you to understand:
Both parents have a right to regular relations with their kids
Family law considers the best interests of the young one as the top priority in parenting cases. If the young one is not at risk of harm or danger, then they have a right to maintain a personal relationship with both of their parents. Of course, ‘best interests’ is quite vague, and is determined on a case-by-case basis by the court, taking into consideration the unique situation of each family.
What the work and family balance means for kids
The move to having a close relationship with both parents is in part a response to changing divisions of labour between men and women. Child custody lawyers note that more women are in the workforce nowadays, whereas more men as beginning to take on parenting roles and domestic tasks, challenging the old family model of female housewife and male breadwinner.
These changes also reflect new psychological studies which suggest that there are no competitive differences between kids’ attachment to their mother and father, and that instead they are predisposed to enjoying more than one attachment bond. Key to this bond is having enough interaction time – the more engaged the parent in their young one’s care, the more sensitive they will be to their needs, and the closer their bond will be.
As such, child custody lawyers emphasise that trying to maintain a solid balance between work and family life is important for both mothers and fathers.
How residential arrangements can affect the kids
One of the most important things to consider following a separation or divorce is where and for how long the kids will live with each parent. Studies suggest that residential arrangements can have a big impact on a young one’s wellbeing – equal shared parenting gives kids the wellbeing level equal to those who have intact families. However, psychological issues are more common in kids who live with mostly one parent. Keep this in mind when arranging with your child custody lawyers where your young ones will live, as your decision could have a profound impact on their wellbeing.
Potential constraints associated with ensuring the best interests of kids
One of the major things that can make keeping the best interests of your kids at heart difficult is the mother-centric mode of care, which assumes a maternal advantage to the care of kids. This creates unfair disadvantage and discrimination against fathers, which in turn can do harm to the kids. To avoid this, ensure that you let your child custody lawyers help you prioritise residential arrangements which are as equal as possible and give enough quality time with the kids to both parents.
Conclusion
Child custody lawyers can help you create fair, balanced residential arrangements which will keep the best interests of your kids at heart. Support them by being aware of these key issues.
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