Children who have been used to living in a two-parent household and suddenly find their lives uprooted by divorce need all the support they can get. When it comes to child custody in Connecticut, research has shown that when parents share custody, their children fare better in pretty much every way. When a child sees both parents on a regular basis their stress levels are lowered. Children worry about an absent parent, which makes the situation even more difficult.
A study at the University of Stockholm showed those kids who lived solely with one parent suffered psychologically. In shared physical custody situations, however — when the child lives with each parent for an equal time between two households — children were overall much happier, did better in school and maintained a positive attitude. Children who have equal time with each parent have, in general, better relationships with both parents, and having two households didn’t show any signs of instability in the children’s lives.
Shared physical custody is different from shared legal custody. Shared legal custody stipulates that both parents have a legal right to make decisions regarding the children — such as what school they should attend, disciplinary measures, what religion, if any, they should be brought up with, etc. It is shared physical custody that gives children a sense of stability when their parents are divorcing.
There are many legalities around child custody issues in Connecticut. A compassionate attorney who is experienced in family law can guide his or her client when it comes to fashioning a child custody plan that is in the best interests of the children. A lawyer will look at each client individually and give advice according to his or her client’s family life.
Source: sciencedaily.com, “Shared custody equals less stress for children“, accessed on Dec. 29, 2017