Child Custody Issues For Divorced And Unmarried Parents

Child custody issues can be a huge, stress filled mess

, and negatively impact your own life, and the lives of your children. This happens whether the parents are divorced or unmarried. To minimize the impact, and quell everyone's anxiety, consider the following issues, and some commonsense solutions.

Issue 1: The parents are unmarried. Unmarried parents have the same custody rights and responsibilities as divorced parents. There actually is very little difference in a custody proceeding for unmarried parents compared to divorced parents. Unmarried parents just don't have all of the issues to resolve about divorce and the division of property. The rest of the issues discussed are just as relevant to unmarried parents.

Issue 2: Both parents want custody of the children. Work out a joint custody arrangement. Joint custody is usually the most beneficial arrangement for your child anyway, as it allows for time with each parent. You can share legal custody of your child, meaning you both have the rights and responsibilities to make decisions about your child's upbringing, regardless of where that child sleeps. You can also share physical custody, and have the child live with one parent for a designated period of time, and then the other. The more willing you are to work with your former spouse, the easier the custody case will be for everyone involved.

Issue 3: The kids are young, and you don't want them to move from place to place in a joint custody arrangement. You can either have one parent do daily visitations with the kids now, and gradually change the arrangement to include overnights as the children get older. If your financial situation allows, or if you have family nearby, you can have leave the children in the family home, and have the parents move in or out based on the visitation schedule. For this more creative situation to work, the parents need to be on relatively good terms, and each needs a place to go when they are not staying in the family home.

Issue 4: You are broke and can't afford an attorney. If both parents are broke, you can work together to come up with a custody arrangement you both can live with, and present it to the court for approval. If you both agree, you are less likely to need two separate attorneys. If you simply can't agree with or trust your former spouse (and you may be divorcing for that very reason), consider contacting legal aid, asking around for a low cost referral, or simply cutting your budget to the bone to make hiring a lawyer possible. You can also consider taking out a loan, borrowing from family, asking your church for help, or getting a temporary job to pay the legal fees. Your custody case is one of the most important things you will ever do, and winning or losing will make a huge impact on your life and on your children's lives, so direct any funds you can to your case.

by: Hera Nelsun

POST COMMENT

How Can I Check Divorce Records At No Cost To Find Peoples Past Montgomery County Marriage Records & Montgomery County Divorce Records Davidson County Marriage Records & Davidson County Divorce Records Miami-Dade County Marriage Records & Miami-Dade County Divorce Records Jackson County Marriage Records & Jackson County Divorce Records Manatee County Marriage Records & Manatee County Divorce Records Franklin County Marriage Records & Franklin County Divorce Records Florida County Marriage Records & Florida County Divorce Records Santa Clara County Marriage Records & Santa Clara County Divorce Records Ventura County Marriage Records & Ventura County Divorce Records Scott County Marriage Records & Scott County Divorce Records Allegheny County Marriage Records & Allegheny County Divorce Records Volusia County Marriage Records & Volusia County Divorce Records