I was recently involved in a car accident. Unfortunately, since it was my first accident, I was scatter-brained and anxious. What I did not realize at the time was that the actions you take immediately after the accident can affect a personal injury case and the outcome of that case. I wanted to find a way to share my experiences and mistakes with other. Since the Internet is so popular, I figured this would be a great way to do so. While you likely aren't planning on being in an accident soon, if you are, hopefully you remember some of the tips I share on this website.
Yvonne Russell
If you and your spouse are divorcing, child custody may be one of your biggest concerns. You wonder how you can disrupt your child's lives as little as possible and provide them with the continued love and nurturing they need. Below are tips on finding the best custody arrangement for your children and two nontraditional arrangements that may work for your family.
Finding the Best Arrangement for Your Children
The first step towards finding the best custody agreement for you, your ex, and your children is to acknowledge that there is no one perfect solution. It's best to wipe all preconceived notions of custody arrangements from your mind and come to the discussion with a clean slate.
Instead of trying to fit your family into a standard custody arrangement, it's best to build an arrangement around your family. What are your family's special needs, and how can you and your ex best meet them? The needs of each family are different, and even the needs of your family will change over time. When coming up with the initial agreement, it's best to understand that the plan will have its initial kinks and adjustments will likely need to be made in the future. If traditional custody plans don't seem to be meeting your family's needs, consider the two nontraditional arrangements below.
Nesting
While this arrangement might take a little extra work and seem inconvenient at times, it may be the best option for your children, especially if they're young.
Instead of children bouncing between homes, nesting allows children to stay put in one place while the parents split time living there. This can help your children adjust to the new circumstances and can offer the least amount of disruption in their lives. While this arrangement certainly takes a lot of coordination on behalf of you and your ex, it's something to consider if both of you are on good terms.
Split Sibling Time
Times of great stress and change in your children's lives, such as divorce, can cause unhealthy competition between siblings. Split sibling time may be a great way to discourage attention-seeking behaviors and foster healthy connections.
Split sibling time involves built-in alone time with each parent. While the majority of the time the children would reside together, there would be a specified number of days during the month where each child would get alone time with each of their parents. This can be a great arrangement for children who are in constant competition with each other and can help facilitate better relationships between each child and both parents.
For more help coming up with child custody arrangements that may work best for your family, consult with an experienced family law attorney like Thomas & Associates, PC. It's likely that they've seen all manner of custody arrangements and can best advise you on the pros and cons of each.