Dealing with a child custody dispute can be incredibly stressful. But it can be even more difficult for your child to cope with the conflict and the changes associated with a custody arrangement or a modification of custody or visitation. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to try to make the process easier on your child while protecting their emotional and psychological well-being.
This can be a sensitive topic, for sure. But here are some tips that may prove helpful as you engage in a dialogue with your child about this oftentimes difficult issue:
- Remind your child that you and their other parent love them and will continue to love them no matter what happens with the custody case.
- Clearly explain the custody and visitation arrangement to your child so that they have a full understanding of what their time with each parent will look like moving forward.
- Encourage your child to spend quality time with the other parent while letting them know that they can talk to the other parent at any time.
- Actively listen to your child’s questions and concerns so that you can provide reassurances and clarify anything that they’ve misunderstood.
- Avoid talking poorly about the other parent while in the presence of your child.
- Avoid forcing your child to make decisions about which parent they’d rather spend time with.
- Keep your child informed about where your custody case stands, but don’t burden them with the details of the evidence being presented and the arguments that are being made.
There are several steps you’ll have to take if you want to fully protect your child’s interests during your custody case. This is why it’s imperative that you understand the evidence in play and how to craft persuasive legal arguments targeted at addressing the applicable legal standard. If you want to learn more about how to address the best interest standard in your case, then please continue to read our blog.