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Dealing with child custody after divorce

On Behalf of | Apr 26, 2013 | Child Custody

Parenting responsibilities do not end after divorce. A child spending time with the non-custodial parent is precious in Houston, Texas, and in the rest of the country. Child custody and responsible parenting should go hand in hand if all the people involved want to maintain a good relationship with their children.

In a recent article on parenting after divorce, an authority on parenting shared the story of a divorced father. This particular father has his child every other weekend and one weeknight. He preserves a strong bond with his child by ensuring that he keeps his daughter happy and keeps her best interests in mind all the time. One way that he manages to accomplish this is by keeping the peace with his ex-wife.

The parenting expert suggests that parents look at parenthood as a lifetime honor and privilege. She also stated that competent parents believe their role is important in the lives of their children. Child custody should never be viewed by either parent as a way to hurt the other parent. If this is the case, the best interests of the child will not be a top priority and the child will not be happy.

This may cause a child to feel the need to choose between the parents. In order to avoid such a feeling of alienation, the custodial parent must allow the child to have regular contact with the non-custodial parent. Collaboration between the parents is needed to ensure that the divorce does not have a significantly negative impact on the child.

Divorce is the parents’ choice, not their children’s choice. Parents should make custody arrangements that are mutually agreed upon and amicable. However, if they cannot resolve issues by mediation, there may be a need for legal action. In that case, both parents should seek advice from a knowledgeable legal professional to settle the child custody dispute.

Source: Huffington Post, “The Forever Dad: Shattering the Myth of the Self-Centered Dad,” Terry Gaspard, Apr. 16, 2013