When divorcing parents have to decide on a custody arrangement, there are plenty of options to look through.
Joint custody has long been one of the most popular options, and it is becoming the default option in many states.
The benefits of joint custody
According to Forbes, some people are proposing that joint custody become the assumed option for parents after divorce. This is due to the pile of evidence and research that supports how joint custody provides numerous benefits for children of divorce.
For example, compared to their peers who experience sole custody, they often have healthier coping mechanisms that form at an earlier age. They also seem to have healthier interpersonal relationships, lasting all the way into adulthood.
On top of that, they seem to report fewer instances of depression or anxiety as specifically triggered by their parent’s divorce.
Reasons to opt for something else
However, joint custody does not make for a reasonable option for every family. For example, there are some divorce situations where a parent wants to get away from an abusive or neglectful spouse. In these cases, it makes sense to avoid giving that parent access to their child.
In other cases, one parent may simply not be physically available to help with parenting. This is often the case when one parent serves in the armed forces, or if one parent faces time incarcerated.
Finally, there are some situations where one parent simply does not want involvement in their child’s life. This is less common but it does still happen, and forcing the matter often only hurts the children. Thus, in these situations, another custody option is usually better.
