Co-parenting as an alternative to bitter child custody battles

Divorced spouses in Arkansas may agree that child custody issues are often more demanding than the divorce battle itself. Generally, child custody is awarded to one parent and the other parent is required to pay child support. This custody decision made by the court is solely based on what it deems to be the best interests of the child.

Many would agree that custody disputes are often bitter battles on all fronts. But divorced spouses have been known to mutually agree to joint child custody, if conditions are right. A recent study also has shown that children who split their time between parents are less stressed and more stable emotionally and mentally.

Researchers were surprised by the findings of developmental child psychologists who suggested that stability and predictability were integral to a child’s healthy development. Researchers also conducted psychological tests on children who lived with one parent and children who lived with both parents as part of a joint child custody arrangement. Children who spent quality time with both parents reported fewer health problems than those who lived with only one parent. Celebrity couples like Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez or Hillary Duff and Michael Comrie have adopted co-parenting agreements, setting an example for others.

Psychotherapists suggest that children are more affected by the way parents handle their divorce cases than the divorce itself. Parents who split amicably may not expose their children to all of the potentially negative effects of family separation. Co-parenting gives children a sense of being loved and cared for and also helps their overall development. Divorced spouses should ensure that children spend quality time with both parents to help form stronger attachments with each parent.

No matter how fractious the relationship between parents, it is never wise to fight in front of the children. Co-parenting may help put aside or minimize parental differences and allow parents to be more understanding and supportive of their children’s needs and less argumentative with each other.

Source: Yahoo! Parenting, “The Divorce Custody Arrangement That Benefits Kids Most,” Beth Greenfield, April 28, 2015