Divorce is taxing on all parties involved. Unfortunately, for many parents, it means sacrificing some of the time they would have spent with their child if they are not awarded primary custody. That being said, having at least some amount of custody is far better than none at all, which is why all parents should constantly act in their child’s best interests and preserve their parental rights after a divorce. Please continue reading and speak with our experienced Los Angeles child custody attorneys to learn more about how you can preserve your parental rights in California.
Tips for Preserving Your Parental Rights in California
- Remember that your child’s best interests are your number one priority. While this is obvious, the truth is, this can be easy to lose sight of during and after a divorce, especially if you have feelings of animosity towards your ex who gets to spend more time with your child than you do. However, always putting your child first both makes life better for your child and helps ensure that you retain your parental rights. Help your child study, take him or her to extracurricular activities, and just do your best to be a parent your child can look up to.
- Don’t ignore pick-up/drop-off times. Of course, being a couple of minutes late due to traffic or something of that nature happens from time to time. This isn’t a huge deal. What is a big deal is being hours late consistently, or refusing to pick up/drop off children at all. In fact, refusing to return your children to their other parent can even be considered a crime. Don’t make a habit of consistently being late or canceling your scheduled parenting time, as this can only negatively impact your child and potentially affect your parental rights.
- Document the things you do for your child. Being a parent after a divorce is not a contest. You shouldn’t document what you do for your child so you can prove you’re a better parent or anything like that. However, if you keep a record of the times you took your child to practice, extracurricular activities, cooked for him or her, etc., if the day should come when your ex tries to limit your parental rights even further, you will have written proof of all you do for your child, and they will have a hard time proving you don’t do what’s best for your child.
- Never badmouth your ex-spouse to your child or argue in front of your child. Your child does not need to hear bad things about his or her other parent. In most cases, badmouthing a child can lead to serious emotional issues down the road, and badmouthing your ex almost never works in your child’s best interests. A child would much rather see his or her parents act civilly in spite of their divorce.
Contact our experienced Los Angeles firm
Divorce and family law issues are notoriously complicated and personal, which is why you must hire an attorney with years of experience, as well as the compassion and skill needed to handle these sensitive matters. For the qualified, dedicated legal representation you and your family deserve and need, contact Zitser Family Law Group, APC today.
