Tips Divorcing Fathers Can Use To Gain Child Custody

While it may seem as if men never win custody of their children in divorce cases, this certainly isn’t always the case. If you are a father going through a divorce, know you have a chance to win either full or joint custody. Here are a few tips to help you in that endeavor.

Keep Up With Your Child Support Payments

You can’t expect the court to allow you to support your kids emotionally and psychologically if you can’t even support them financially. Continue to pay all child support payments, and make sure you document all payments made. If your child’s mother wants to change the child support payment plan currently in place, be sure to go through the right legal channels to do so rather than make an informal agreement. If you ever find yourself struggling to keep up with payments, don’t hesitate to request a modification.

Kick Your Bias to the Side

It’s perfectly understandable for you to have your own personal bias when it comes to fathers being granted child custody. Do yourself a favor and do some research to see how many fathers have successfully been granted custody. Once you’ve got the facts, your mind is sure to change for the better. This is more helpful than continuing to believe things that are not only not true, but harmful.

Work With the Right Legal Team

There are firms like Cordell and Cordell that specialize in helping men going through a divorce. The great thing about such firms is they have the experience and resources necessary to boost your chances of being granted the custody you deserve. Cordell and Cordell and similar firms can save you a lot of time and frustration, all while giving you the time you need and deserve with your kids.

Create and Maintain a Bond With Your Kids

When it comes to child custody, courts base their decision on what’s best for the children. If you don’t have a very good relationship with your kids, or if you don’t even have any relationship with them whatsoever, you’re unlikely to be granted custody. Both during and after your divorce, spend as much time as you can with your kids. Take an interest in their lives, hobbies and the like. Imagine how your kids would feel if they’re left in the custody of someone who feels more like a stranger than a father.

Be Honest About How Much Parenting Time You Have

Before you go full throttle on seeking custody of your kids, do some honest self-reflection. Do you have the time and energy necessary to take great care of your kids? If you work a lot, your children may spend more time with a babysitter than they do with you. If your kids are in school for the first half of the day, this may not be a factor.

If you do work a lot and want to cut back to have more time to be a father, talk to your employer. With this route, be sure you can still make enough money to support yourself and your kids if you won’t be working as much.

Create Space for Your Kids

Is your home ready to house your kids? Before granting you custody, the court will want to be sure your children will have proper living accommodations in your home. If you don’t have the necessary room now, create a plan you can lay out for yourself and for the court.

Have a Parenting Plan

As you can probably tell, being well-organized is essential for gaining custody of your children. Develop a thorough parenting plan, one that includes temporary guardians, emergency contacts, a medical release form and when your kids will spend time with you and when they’ll spend time with their mother. This plan can not only give you peace of mind but ease the judge’s mind, too.

While it will undoubtedly take a lot of time and effort to secure custody of your kids, it’s certainly possible. Be sure to put the above suggestions to good use.

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