Creative Custody Tips Parents Can Use To Help Young Children Cope With Divorce

While a divorce is never easy for adults, it is often the best course of action for couples who find themselves unable to successfully live together as a married couple. For children, however, the breakup of a marriage is often seen as a painful catalyst capable of devastating their ideal of what a happy family is throughout the remainder of their childhood. When divorcing parents are able to put aside their differences and work together for the happiness of their children, they can often come up with unique custody arrangements that will be healthier and more supportive for their children. 

Choose to live near each other

While the natural tendency after a divorce is for former spouses to move as far away from each other as possible, doing so can create an uncomfortable situation for their children. Divorcing parents who want to help their children regain a more normal living situation may want to consider opting to live within walking distance of each other, within the same neighborhood and school district. 

Instead of spending hours driving children back and forth to each other's homes for visitations, spouses who live near each other can allow their children to enjoy daily contact with both parents. When agreeing to purchase or rent homes within minutes of each other, spouses can more easily share in all the duties of parenthood, including attending school activities, arranging childcare, and helping with homework. 

Keep the grandparents involved

Another problem that often arises during a divorce is grandparents who feel left out or abandoned. When grandparents feel this way, it is probable that the children do as well. Divorcing parents who want to help ensure that their children continue to enjoy healthy relationships with their grandparents may want to discuss extending some sort of visitation agreement to them as part of the divorce agreement. Doing this can help provide welcome reassurance to both grandchildren and their grandparents that their relationship will remain intact during an otherwise volatile period in everyone's life.

Be financially creative to provide better support

Awarding a set amount of child support and primary custody to one spouse may not be the best solution for divorcing spouses or their children. Instead, divorcing spouses may want to look at more creative financial and custody arrangements that would be better for all parties. For instance, it can be better to forego child support completely and to instead have a fully furnished and decorated room for each child at both parent's homes. By sharing custody in this way, parents can also easily share in the costs of raising their children by paying for needs directly.  

For more ideas on creating a custody agreement that works well for your children and your life, each spouse should discuss the matter carefully with their own divorce lawyer before working with the other spouse to seek a legally binding custody arrangement.