The Benefits Of Joint Custody
Joint custody is popular because it shares the inevitable burdens of parenthood between both parents, and because it allows the child to grow up in a healthier and more stable psychological environment. There is a difference between legal and physical custody, and the parents may be awarded joint custody with respect to one or both of these.
Physical Custody vs. Legal Custody
Physical custody refers to where the child actually lives. If the child lives with one parent all the time, that parent has physical custody of the child. If the child splits his time – weekdays with mom, weekends with dad, for example – the child’s parents share joint physical custody.
Legal custody, by contrast, refers to the right to make decisions on behalf of the child, such as:
● Where he goes to school;
● Where (if anywhere) he goes to church; and
● What medical treatment he will receive (within certain legal limits).
How Your Child May Benefit from Joint Custody
The benefits of joint custody have been studied extensively, and researchers have concluded that joint custody children enjoy not only stronger relationships with both parents, but also:
● More stable social relationships;
● Fewer psychological problems;
● Better coping skills;
● Better grades in school; and
● A smaller likelihood of drinking alcohol, smoking, using recreational drugs, and engaging in risky sexual behavior.
Joint custody works best, of course, when both parents wholeheartedly agree to it. Nevertheless, many joint custody arrangements are made after a court pressures one or both parents to agree to it. Even under these circumstances, joint custody children enjoy better outcomes than single-parent children.
How Parents Benefit from Joint Custody
The benefits to parents from a joint custody arrangement are more practical than the benefits to the child. These benefits include:
● Joint custody forces ex-spouses to work together, thereby encouraging a friendlier and less antagonistic relationship between them.
● By splitting the responsibilities of parenthood, joint custody avoids overburdening one parent and keeps both parents involved in their child’s life.
The Downsides
Joint custody has its downsides, although for most parents and children, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The following are some of the disadvantages:
● Moving back and forth between parents can be stressful for a child, especially below a certain age.
● Joint legal custody can result in a deadlock. What happens, for example, when mom wants her kid raised Catholic and dad wants him raised Jewish? Of course, this problem also arises in ongoing marriages. Nevertheless, joint custody can mean more disputes between the parents.
● Parents may get so caught up in negotiating disputes with each other that the child’s best interests get lost in the shuffle.
Joint custody simply will not work unless both parents are willing to work with the other and to compromise at least some of the time.
Get Started Now
If you are considering the possibility of joint custody, you are going to need to make an informed decision rather than a hasty one. To explore your options, call 909.204.7920 directly, fill out our online contact form, or stop by one of our offices in Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, and Los Angeles.
