When parents divorce, they’re usually pretty concerned about the custody of their children — and a lot of parents start the divorce process wanting sole custody.
There are several reasons why this may not be the best idea. Consider the following:
- You may be acting out of anger at your spouse. If your desire for full custody is less about your ex-spouse’s parenting skills and more about punishing your ex for their bad behavior in your marriage, you’re acting on the wrong impulses.
- You may be acting out of fear. Faced with the fact that their children won’t be in their household 100% of the time, a lot of parents worry that the other parent won’t step up and handle their children’s needs appropriately.
- The conflicts can be disastrous for your children. Studies have long indicated that parental divorce is less harmful to kids than parental conflict. If your divorce evolves into a high-conflict custody battle, your kids may be exposed to stress that leaves them with lifelong consequences.
- You may lose control of the situation. When you embark on a custody battle and are seeking many concessions from your ex, you’re probably going to end up in court. That means that a judge will ultimately make the call. You can end up with results that you don’t like — and that don’t really work for your family.
Like other states, Florida puts an emphasis on doing whatever is in the best interests of the child, not the parents — so you have to keep that in mind throughout your negotiations with your ex. Working with a Florida family law attorney with experience in these situations can help you find a solution that’s better for your children.
