If you’re one of many Kentucky parents who are considering filing for or are currently navigating divorce, one of your top priorities is undoubtedly to make sure your children have all they need to adapt to a new lifestyle. Emotional support, as well as issues regarding finances, are key factors toward helping kids cope with divorce. Signing a child custody agreement means you have developed a plan and agree to abide by certain terms.
Every family is unique, which is why you can customize your child custody agreement to fit your family’s particular needs and ultimate goals concerning your children’s well-being as they move on in life after your divorce. Keeping several things in mind can help you create a solid plan that helps avoid co-parent disputes or conflict.
Various types of custody
The term “child custody” refers to a spectrum of issues that you must resolve to finalize a divorce as a parent. Physical custody, for instance, pertains to where your children will live and whether they will travel between two households or reside full time in one parent’s home or the other.
Legal custody, on the other hand, refers to decision-making authority. Will you and your ex share this responsibility or will you request sole legal custody of your kids? These are common custody issues; however, what applies in one case may be irrelevant to another, which is why it’s important to make sure your agreement addresses your children’s specific needs.
If you and your ex are unable to resolve a disagreement
You and your co-parent might have different parenting styles. That’s not uncommon, even for parents who are still married to each other. It can, however, spark legal problems if you’re unable to achieve an agreement about custody, visitation or child support.
Perhaps you believe that it’s best for your kids if you all spend major holidays together as a family. If your spouse refuses to agree to such an arrangement and insists on having custody of the kids on certain holidays, resolving the issue can be challenging. In such cases, it’s okay to ask the court to intervene and make the decision for you.
Keeping children’s best interests in mind
If you ask the court to make a child custody decision, remember that the judge will do so after reviewing all pertinent issues of your case. The court’s goal is always to base its decisions on what it has determined would be best for the children in a specific set of circumstances.
For instance, in one case, the judge might rule that sole custody is best because one of the parents has a substance abuse problem. In another, a judge might rule that parents should share custody 50/50. Before heading to court to litigate a child custody issue, you’ll want to research Kentucky laws and fully understand your rights as a parent.