As a parent, you want what is best for your children, which is likely why you are challenging your custody arrangement. These kinds of conflicts, however, can cause turmoil for everyone involved.
Try these four tips to help protect your children during a custody dispute.
1. Understand the potential impacts
Custody modifications can have significant implications for your children’s lives, affecting everything from where they live, where they attend school and who they spend the most time with. You should weigh these potential impacts before you pursue any changes.
2. Account for the children’s wishes
You always put your children’s well-being first, which is why you must understand their preferences about who they want to live with. Your children’s wishes should come before your own.
3. Limit exposure to the case
While you should communicate with your children about their custody preferences, you should try to shield them from the messier aspects of the case. You and the other parent should avoid creating feelings of obligation and guilt and minimize any fears they may have about the legal process.
4. Avoid parental alienation
Regardless of how you feel about your former partner, your children deserve to have a fulfilling relationship with both parents when possible. Even as tensions rise during the dispute, you should refrain from speaking negatively about or undermining the other parent.
If you believe your current arrangement is not serving your children’s best interests, an advocate can help you navigate the legal proceedings to make changes to your custody agreement.