One of the most complicated aspects of divorce is deciding on the schedule for the children. Naturally, each parent will want to spend as much time as possible with his or her kids, and this can lead to disputes and complications regarding parenting time and visitation. There is an assumption that 50-50 child custody is the best solution, but that is not always the case for every Texas family. Different family situations call for different solutions.
Why won’t it work?
There are varying reasons why 50-50 custody may not work for a specific family. This type of parenting plan requires cooperation between parents, and that is not always easy to accomplish for some families. Pre-divorce conflict can carry over to post-divorce parenting. Additionally, parental conflict can impact children, causing mental duress and additional emotional strain.
Different parenting patterns, disputes and other problems with a 50-50 parenting plan can negatively impact a child. This type of custody arrangement may also be problematic in situations in which one parent is significantly less capable of providing for the kids’ emotional or physical needs. In these situations, a different type of custody order may be helpful.
For the benefit of the kids
Every custody decision should be made with the best interests of the children in mind. For some families, a 50-50 custody order is ideal, providing children with relatively equitable access to both parents. For families, it may be beneficial to discuss other custody and visitation options with an experienced family law attorney.