Are you going through a divorce as a parent? One of your concerns is likely child custody. Child custody is often a lot different when parents do not live under the same roof. To help maintain custody, you can discuss custody arrangements during your divorce.
You can prepare for the conversation about child custody by understanding the basics. There are four basic terms to understand: legal, physical, joint and sole custody. Here is what you should know:
What are legal and physical custody?
Legal and physical custody determine each parent’s rights. Legal custody allows parents to decide what is best for their child’s upbringing. For example, parents with legal custody could decide whether their child should go to therapy, start medication or undergo surgery. Or, a parent may choose to put their child through private school instead of public school.
Physical custody decides when parents are responsible for their child’s daily needs and routine. Physical custody is usually decided with a custody schedule, which arranges the days that each parent is responsible for providing their children with food, clothing and shelter. Parents may also have the obligation to take their children to school or doctor’s appointments, for example.
What are joint and sole custody?
Whether each parent has legal or physical custody is often decided by the arrangement. Parents can have joint or sole custody arrangements. A joint arrangement means both parents share some level of custody rights, communicating often about their and their child’s needs.
A single parent may be given sole custody. Sole custody means that a parent is entirely responsible for their child. This can happen if a parent is not fit to raise their child.
You can reach out for legal guidance as you explore your child custody options — and that can help you get a better idea of how to proceed.