Are you facing the threat of having your child taken away from you? As a result of divorce, and in the absence of strong, supportive evidence, the rights of the father are likely to be viewed as less important.
It is still fairly common and accepted practice to give the mother preferential treatment in child custody cases.
Furthermore, some judges believe that a child should always be with its mother and this practice is even more common when the child is a girl or preteen.
Fathers who do not realize how important it is to fight hard when gaining custody may find themselves relegated to only getting to see their children over the weekend or worse once a month.
It is important that fathers do not allow themselves to get distracted when trying to get custody, help and advice is available when you need it.
Some fathers report trying to talk to their children during the custody battle and finding that the mother has worked to turn the child against them.
Going so far as to encourage the child to disrespect the father, manipulate the child into not taking the fathers call and getting the child to badmouth their father in the courtroom.
Some fathers think that if they choose to allow the mother to gain full custody they can come back later in another year or two and then apply for split custody.
Rarely, if ever, does it work out this way.
In practise, your chances continue to reduce as the number of rounds in the custody battle increase.
Once a custody agreement is originally worked out, the court is not as likely to want to change it for fear of disturbing the child and taking him or her away from a stable home environment.
Fathers, it is imperative that you establish yourself before gaining custody, even before you file for divorce.
Once you lose custody, you risk not getting to be an active role in your child's life.
You give your ex-wife control over when or if your child will be allowed to see you and will not have any influence over where your child goes to school, who they socialize with and date.
These are important issues that a father should have the right to make decisions on.
Additionally, if you lose custody you can expect to pay child custody to your ex-wife.
Fathers have even found that after gaining full custody mothers will take their child and move to another state making it almost impossible for the father to have any say so in his child's life or change the custody arrangement.
A vindictive ex-wife will not just keep the child from seeing the father.
Your ex typically bans your entire extended family, leaving loving grandparents, aunts and uncles without any method of seeing the child as well.
When it comes to gaining custody as a result of a divorce, and fighting for the best interest of your kids, the best offense is a good defense.
- Choose a lawyer who specializes in the subject and educate yourself in advance.
- Learn what strategies and techniques mothers commonly use to win child custody and turn them to your advantage.
- Gather information on why you can provide a more stable home environment.
- Be ready for the battle to turn ugly, because it often does.
Fathers, it is obvious that in divorce and child custody the system is unfair to you.
However, complaining about the system and being outraged over the lies said about you will not be of any help too you.
Thankfully, the court system has begun to realize that fathers are just as important as mothers are when rearing a child.
Often the difference between gaining custody and not gaining custody is knowing how to make the most of this change in policy, and co parenting with your ex to make sure you and your child do not get wrapped up in the pain and drama that comes with divorce.