Frequently Made Mistakes May Complicate Child Custody Situation

Dealing with a divorce in Texas can often be an unpleasant experience. This is particularly true for those with minor children, as they may be at odds about how to handle child custody. Here are a couple of mistakes that spouses frequently make during divorce that can end up making a child custody situation more complicated for the entire family.

First, sometimes, divorcing spouses refer to their children as their own children, refusing to recognize the other party’s role in rearing the children as well. It is true that, sometimes, parents who are getting divorced may no longer be in love with each other, and they might not completely agree with the other party’s parenting decisions. However, the children still belong to both of them, so it is critical to approach a child custody decision with this mindset.

Second, a divorcing spouse may lie to the children about the other person’s behavior with the goal of making the other parent look bad. The problem with this is that the children might not necessarily be old enough to tell the difference between a parent’s lie and a truth. Unfortunately, this can harm the other parent’s relationships with the children either short term or long term.

The best scenario during a divorce proceeding involving child custody is for both parties to be willing to find common ground in this area. If they can come to an agreement on how to handle legal and physical custody, as well as visitation, they can produce a written parenting agreement that satisfies both parties and benefits their shared children. An attorney in Texas can provide a divorcing parent with the direction he or she needs to pursue a personally beneficial outcome while also focusing on what is ultimately in the children’s best interests.