Obtaining custody as a father can be difficult, although courts do not discriminate against fathers. On average, fathers typically get around 35% of custody time. Many courts also still believe that children should be under the care and supervision of their mothers, especially when the children are very young.
If you are a father fighting for full or joint custody, prepare for a long and difficult custody battle. This is especially the case if the other parent of the child also applies for custody. The better prepared you are for a custody battle, the better the judge and your ex-partner will determine that you are fit for the job. Here are a few ways to make it easier for the judge to decide in your favor.
Show your kids that they come first
If your child is not living full-time, you should check in with your child often. Call, text, or FaceTime to make sure you’re on good terms. Talk to your child’s other parent about your child’s progress in school and make sure you know your child’s health. You should also stay in direct contact with your child’s teachers and doctors.
If your child is not living full-time, you should check in with your child often.
Both your child and ex need to know that you are always available to provide support and assistance in any way possible. Make sure you attend special events in your child’s life, such as B. at sports games, concerts or religious events. This lets your son or daughter know that you want to be a part of their life permanently and that you take care of the things that are important to your child.
Keep track of child support payments
Remember, child support is for your child, not your ex. Men who fail to support their child are showing the court that they would rather tease their ex than see that their child’s needs are met.
If you want full custody, make sure you pay child support consistently and on time. If you have a non-legal arrangement with your ex-partner, keep a record of your payments and obtain a written contract from your child’s other parent. You should also offer to cover the cost of other expenses that may arise, such as: B. extracurricular activities or uniforms.
If you are having trouble paying child support, ask your ex-spouse to make adjustments to your payment until your financial situation changes. The courts need to make sure that you are serious about caring for your children if you want full custody.
Stick to the visit schedule
Make sure to stick to your visiting schedule if you want a good chance of winning your custody case. Develop a parenting plan with your ex and take that plan to the courts. This will help your family law attorney and the judge know that you are committed to your child’s constancy. It also shows that you are ready to start working with your ex.
If your ex disturbs your visit, record every interaction. Also get the contact information of all witnesses. You may want to take a friend or family member to pick-up and drop-off services to make sure there is a witness for every interaction.
Be respectful of your ex
It becomes more difficult for you to gain custody as a father when you are rude, harsh, or disrespectful to your child’s other parent. Family judges see many fathers who just want custody to annoy the mother, and they can see through this. Show that you are different by modeling respectful behavior when speaking to the other parent as you would to another.
The judge can use your treatment of your ex to determine whether you should get custody. Remember that the way you treat your ex-partner will also affect your child. Divorce or separation is already difficult for children, so you don’t want to make things worse by not getting along with your ex.
It’s no secret that fathers generally struggle with obtaining custody. Mothers often want custody of children during a divorce or separation. In some situations, fathers were unable to look after the children while they were living at home. If the mother can prove it, the judge is unlikely to transfer custody of the father in the event of a divorce.
If you take extra precautions to prove to the courts that you are willing and able to look after your children full time, you have a better chance of winning your custody case.
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