Divorce is a painful phenomenon for the couple who splits, but is even more painful and hurting for children. The reason behind is their innocent and the ignorant mind that cannot understand as to what this term divorce is. Children find it next to impossible to stay without either of their parent because they love both the parents equally.
Sometimes, a couple starts feeling that it is not possible to continue their life together anymore, so they decide to separate their ways. Their mind is developed enough to understand what is right, what is wrong and they pretty well understand what divorce is. On the other hand, children do not have a fully developed mind that can understand such complicated matters like that of separation.
Shared custody or joint custody we call it is an arrangement that divorced parents make for their children. Usually, it is parents who care for their child’s emotions who go for joint custody, or it is seen in cases where in the partners separated find it possible to bring up the child jointly. In this type of custody, the child gets to spend equal amount of time with both the parents, although at different places, or to quote it well – under separate roofs.
Joint custody of children is way more beneficial than single parent custody. Even researches show that children brought up under joint custody are more confident, have higher self-esteem, and a very few of them develop behavioral problems, which is in sheer contrast to single parent custody. The success of a joint custody however depends upon a number of factors. Scroll through to find out some factors a separated couple must consider in order making joint custody successful:
The schedule
Schedule is one of the most important factors that need to be considered by both partners, so that the joint custody they opt for turns out to be beneficial and successful. In a joint custody, schedules of all three – the child, the mother, and the father are equally important. Joint custody only turns out to be a successful one when it accommodates the schedules of all three pretty well.
Separated parents should decide together as to what time and day they would be available for the child. If the schedules, or for that matter if everything is well planned and is in orderly manner, the child feels safe and stable, and these feelings are of paramount importance for the child’s development.
Communication
To make a joint custody of a child successful, both the separated parents of a child need to communicate with one another. They must be ready to talk to each other not for themselves but for the proper bringing of their child. No matter how intense the animosity is between both the ex-partners but they should talk to each other well and think out the best possible way to bring up their child. There is quite a possibility that there would be disagreements between both the ex’s but they must get over all the disagreements and conflicts if they really desire to make their joint custody a success.
Set rules but they need to be flexible
Both the mother and father need to set some rules for the children but make sure the rules that you both make are similar. If there is too much of difference between the rules that child is supposed to follow at his mother’s place and the ones that he is required to follow at his father’s place, poor child would get too confused this way.
Summary
Joint custody of a child can only be successful if both the divorced parents are ready to talk to each other, to see each other, and to follow a couple of rules and guidelines that are a key to a successful joint custody.
