When parents divorce, the children can experience difficulty as they adjust to their new circumstances. The end of a marriage can change virtually everything about their lives, including where they live, which parents they live with and more. These are difficult changes, and as a parent, you want to do everything possible to ensure that they have what they need for emotional stability and as much continuity of lifestyle as possible during this difficult time.
Unfortunately, it is not always easy to do this when the two parents are unable to reach a reasonable solution regarding child custody. In fact, you may be facing a difficult custody battle as you seek terms that will protect the best interests of your kids. If you are preparing to fight for your parenting time and the protection of your kids in court, you will benefit from understanding your rights and options at every step of the divorce process.
How can you strengthen your case?
Courts often prefer when two South Dakota parents can work together to reach terms that will make the most sense for their individual family situation. Unfortunately, however, this may not be possible in your case. You may have a specific outcome that you believe will be in the best interests of your kids, and it may be necessary to go to court for these terms. As you face the complexity and stress of this situation, the following tips may be helpful:
- Consider your living arrangements and determine if you have the space and appropriate type of home for your kids.
- Know what is going on in the lives of your kids, such as the sports they play, how they are doing in school, their health needs and other important details.
- Be willing to be cooperative with the other parent for the sake of the kids, even if the other parent is not willing to do so.
These are a few steps you can take that will help you prepare for what is ahead. By preparing ahead of time, you will give yourself a better chance of success with your custody case. At the end of the day, a family court will make decisions based on what they think is in the interests of the child. However, as a parent, you have the right to seek a specific outcome and pursue a custody resolution that you believe would benefit the youngest members of your family for years to come.
