Parenting time is the nuts and bolts of the divorce. It’s the issue where people have the most difficulties in coming to an agreement. You could make the argument, and some judges take this position, that we start off with the premise that both parents are entitled to equal time with their children. This is a change that we’ve seen over the course of many years. It may be a product of how society’s changed. It could be a product of the fathers’ rights movement.
We now see instances where parents have shared custody on a greater frequency. There are schedules that have been developed that really are more child-centric. I say that because I believe that these schedules should be what’s best for the child, not always necessarily what the parent wants. Children need stability. Jumping from one house to another everyday isn’t always in your child’s best interests. There are some schedules that have been developed that are better for children.
There are some things that we try to achieve that are better for children. A lot of this is a product of your work schedule, where you will be living, where your children will be going to school, their ages, your ability to address their needs, and that goes back to your work schedule. There are factors that we have to look at to see whether you can request a certain schedule or not. This is a very fact-sensitive area of the law.
The law firm of Paris P. Eliades Law Firm LLC is composed of experienced divorce and family law attorneys. Please contact our office in Sparta, NJ for a free initial consultation and get any questions answered regarding your divorce.