How to Deal With Child Custody Situations
You have gone before a judge, who has decided to award custody. In some cases, you feel that the consequences of the decision are intimidating or frustrating. You might not agree with the decision or think it was made fairly. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, five in six custodial parents are women, so there does seem to be a bias toward mothers in custody hearings. The Census Bureau has also found that non-custodial fathers are likely to lapse in paying child support, which can be frustrating for custodial mothers. Knowing the rules of the game can help to make child custody situations run more smoothly.
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Instructions
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Keep the other parent up to date on any complications and arrive early when you visit your children. Be cordial. Frustrating the other parent's or your own right to visitation could reflect badly on your case in the future.
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Maintain good relations with the other parent always, if at all possible. Never use a child against the other parent. Children resent being used or manipulate in this way.
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Calculate how much you can reasonably afford in child support and at what point in the month it is best to pay when the court has ruled that you must provide it. It is sometimes possible to negotiate a compromise on the number stipulated by court. Put this number in writing it you and the other parent can agree on it.
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Communicate directly with both parent if you are a guardian who has been awarded custody. Both parents play important roles in a child's development and can help share some of the burden of raising a child.
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File an appeal, citing your reasons, if the court decisions seem to be working out poorly. The court will hear the appeal and decide whether there are grounds for changing the initial decision.
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