Going through a divorce or legal separation in Texas, or anywhere in the United States, can be difficult and often overwhelming. This is especially true if there are children involved. Parents who have spent a good portion of their lives taking care of their children must suddenly split their time with the other spouse, which can be hard in certain situations. Traditionally, mothers have been awarded primary custody of the children, as they were generally the ones who stayed at home and cared for the children.
Times have changed over the years, however, and as women have entered back into the workforce, many women have taken high-ranking positions. In some cases, women have become the bread-winners of the family and fathers are left to stay at home and provide care for the children. In these types of situations, the fathers may be the ones who are awarded primary physical custody of the children, as they are the ones who take the kids to school, help with homework and provide caring support. In fact, as many as 2.2 million fathers across the country have primary physical custody of their children, with mothers as non-custodial parents. There are some mothers who pay child support to their children who are in these types of situations.
When a judge is determining which parent should receive custody, he or she will look at certain factors, including which parents spends the most time taking care of the children.
This information is intended to educate and should not be taken for legal advice.
