Sharing Is Caring: 6 Tips to Help You Adapt and Thrive With Shared Custody

Shared custody between former partners can present challenges to some parents, as they balance their child’s needs with their own, all while navigating relations with a former spouse. Sharing your children’s time can be a fruitful and rewarding experience for parents if they utilize the following 6 tips on adapting and thriving with shared custody.

1) Be the bigger person

When a couple separates or divorces, oftentimes there are hard feelings between the former partners and this animosity can easily spill over into custody arrangements. Refrain from criticizing your former spouse in front of your child and don’t let negative actions cause you to stoop to their level in retaliation. It is important that you show your child that you and your former can still work together and be civil, remember, kids watch everything you do, be a good role model.

2) Set a realistic custody arrangement

Have realistic expectations for your custody arrangement. Avoid overextending yourself and be willing to compromise when necessary. Be cognizant of both your schedule and your former spouse’s, and try to be as fair as possible when splitting duties such as transportation to sports practices or other activities.

3) Be kind to yourself

Embrace “you time” without the children: when your former spouse has custody, take the time to pamper yourself with a favorite hobby or time out with friends. By taking breaks from parenting, you will be recharged and refreshed when it is time to switch custody, making you a happier person and a better parent.

Responsibilities of the Child

Another way that this type of support is different than normal child support is that when awarded, certain responsibilities are placed upon the child. First, the child must enroll into some type of accredited postsecondary school, and they must be pursuing courses that are focused on achieving an education that will help them achieve their career goals. While enrolled, RCW 26.19.090(3) they must also maintain good academic standing as defined by the Institution. In addition to this, the statute requires both parents must be given access to all the academic records and grades.

Who Gets the Payments?

The Court will take into consideration a few factors when determining this. If possible, they will have the payments go directly to the Educational Institution; however, if your child plans to continue residing with either yourself or your former spouse, the court may grant the payment be made to the residing parent. In rare cases, the court may grant the support to be paid directly to your child.

Learn More About Postsecondary Educational Support

If you have a child who is getting to the age where they are starting to think about college or some other postsecondary education, now is the time to start considering postsecondary educational support. Whether you would like to seek support from the other parent, or you’re being asked to help pay for it, we can help. Bliss Law Group has experience working with the courts on these types of cases, and we can help you to get the results you’re looking for.

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