A custody dispute can lead to parents having one of many types of custody arrangements. The goal is to spend time with their child and maintain a relationship, so they both may find it difficult to figure out what type of arrangement will work best for them and for their child. This confusion has caused many parents to agree to joint physical custody.
Joint physical custody is when two parents split physical custody of the child. The two will basically share the child, spending an equal amount of time with him or her. This often requires the child to go back and forth between homes every week. This arrangement may appeal to many parents because the time they spend with their child is valuable, but joint physical custody isn’t always as beneficial as people think.
Nowadays, joint physical custody is not something many parents seek, but also not something that courts grant very often. The main reason courts will award physical custody to only one parent instead of both is because it won’t disrupt the child’s routine. For example, when parents share physical custody, the child may have difficulty adjusting to a routine because they are being bounced back and forth between their parents’ households every week.
When parents are trying to find a custody arrangement that will benefit all parties involved, they should really be looking at what is in the best interest of the child. Joint physical custody may seem like a good idea because each parent will get an even amount of time with their child, but it isn’t always the best arrangement when it comes to what the child needs. For assistance with finding a more realistic custody arrangement, parents can reach out to an attorney who may be able to answer their questions.
