Your marriage and the divorce proceedings have finally reached their conclusions. Hopefully, you and your spouse managed to negotiate on property division and child custody so that everyone is relatively happy with the outcomes.
Of course, this might be a tad optimistic. In your opinion, the custody order may be completely unsuitable. What are your options in such a scenario?
1. Disregarding the custody order
One thing you certainly don’t want to do is ignore the terms of the custody order. If the court has signed off on it then it is legally binding. This means that both parents must stick to the terms and can only stray from these in exceptional circumstances.
A repetitive pattern of ignoring the custody order could jeopardize your rights and see you faced with penalties and an order that is even less favorable.
2. Airing your grievances in front of the kids
An effective co-parenting relationship relies on communication. You and your former spouse are going to have to put your personal disputes to one side and focus on the best interests of the child.
You can certainly have open and frank discussions, but this should never occur in front of the children. They may already be finding it difficult to adjust and children have a habit of blaming themselves when they see their parents arguing.
Custody orders are legally binding but they can also be modified for good reasons. Bide your time and consider your options carefully before acting. Seeking some legal guidance will help protect your rights, and most importantly, come up with a custody agreement that meets the needs of your children.
