Many Washington dads are currently navigating legal issues regarding child custody. Some situations are more contentious than others. If you have recently filed for divorce, one of your top priorities is no doubt to devise an effective co-parenting plan. If your ex is making that difficult, there are several things you can do to try to maintain peace.
As a dad who wants what is best for his children, you may be worried that the legal system automatically favors the mother in child custody proceedings. You will be glad to know that this is not true. Every state has its own child custody guidelines, and every family court judge can make decisions based on those guidelines, as well as the merits of a particular case.
Keep the lines of communication open
Right from the start, it is helpful to develop terms of agreement with your ex regarding correspondence related to your children. If your ex prefers to communicate via text messaging rather than in person, it might be best to agree to the request, rather than argue over communication.
The most important thing is to keep the lines of communication open between you as you both move on in life without each other. Nothing is more important than your children’s well-being. If you and your ex are both willing to peacefully discuss all child-related issues, it can help keep stress to a minimum.
Don’t blast your ex on social media
Some things in life are best settled in private, and child custody or other divorce-related issues are among them. You could wind up facing legal problems if you write negative things about your ex or share details about your divorce on social media. This type of behavior can cause contention but can also spark legal trouble, especially if you have shared information sealed by the court.
Thorough schedules and consistency are keys to success
Whether you are sharing child custody or plan to request sole custody of your kids, as a dad of divorce, you will want to keep thorough records and schedules regarding all issues that pertain to your children, including custody exchange dates, school events, medical appointments and more.
The more you put in writing, the less likely it is that either you or your ex will be confused about who is supposed to be with the kids on a certain date or who is allowed to pick up the kids from school or elsewhere. If a child custody problem arises that you don’t feel able to handle alone, you can tap into local resources for support.