After a divorce, parents tend to divide child custody rights. This could include the physical custody of the child, often referred to as parenting time. It can also include legal custody, which is often referred to as the decision-making power that the parents have for their child.
In both of these areas, disputes and disagreements can arise. It’s important for parents to understand why these might happen and what they can do to resolve them. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few examples.
Different parenting styles
In many cases, parents just disagree about how to raise the children. Maybe one parent has strict disciplinary tactics, while the other does not. Maybe they disagree on the rules that should be used from one house to the other.
Different levels of care
Another area that can become problematic is the type of care that the child is given, in terms of meeting their emotional and physical needs. Some parents do a better job in certain areas than others. But with divided custody, the child has to spend a significant amount of time alone with the parent who may not be as good at meeting these needs.
Issues with daily logistics
Furthermore, parents sometimes get into disagreements around the logistics of daily life. Who has to pay for the child’s extracurricular activities? Who picks them up from school and drops them off? How do parents handle things like sporting events or breaks from school, which can change the typical custody schedules?
Communication can help
These are a few examples of when and how disputes may occur, and communication between the parents can be very beneficial to help them avoid issues. But there are also situations in which parents just can’t find common ground or disagree about something fundamental, like what type of medical care the child should receive. It’s important for parents to understand all the legal options at their disposal.
