The divorce process is never a walk in the park, but fighting for child custody can be especially stressful. Unfortunately, it’s easy to act rashly when you’re struggling with the frustrations and high emotions of a child custody battle.
Certain behaviors or actions can quickly undermine a case and make people seem like an unfit guardian. To help you avoid making critical errors during your case, here are three mistakes you don’t want to make when fighting for the custody of your child.
- Making impulsive travel choices. When you’re going through a divorce, you may feel the need to go on an unplanned vacation or move to a new city to feel like a new person. But you need to ask yourself if what you’re doing is best for your kids at this time. If the answer to that question is no and you’re in the middle of a custody battle, it’s better to reconsider your plans. You need to consider all the factors that are important in your children’s lives including holiday schedules, school proximity, and your children’s friends. Additionally, unplanned and undisclosed vacations with your kids during a custody battle could violate court orders.
- Leaving the house and staying away from your family. Unless there’s domestic violence involved, it may be a good idea to temporarily move into the guest room of your house instead of completely moving out. In many family law cases, the parent who looks after and lives with the children is more likely to be the custodial parent. There are approximately 13.6 million custodial parents in the U.S. and they have, on average, 277 days out of the year with their children while the non-custodial parent has 88. If you do need to move out of your house, consider moving into a nearby apartment instead of moving across the city. The closer you are to your family and the more involved you are with your kids’ lives, the better.
- Losing your temper. It’s understandable to be frustrated, stressed, and angry during the divorce process. But you have control over how you manage your temper. Don’t make threats, even if they’re empty, and never say anything bad about your ex to your children.
Looking for a professional and experienced child custody attorney?
If you’re looking for a child custody attorney Houston TX parents trust, you’ve come to the right place. For help navigating Texas child custody laws, divorce laws, child support laws, and more, contact the child custody attorneys for a consultation at the law offices of Connolly and Shireman today.