How to Keep the Peace in a Child Custody Case

Few things inspire more emotional upheaval than child custody battles. If you and your soon-to-be ex cannot negotiate a parenting time schedule that you find mutually acceptable, the path forward can be exceptionally challenging. There are, however, steps you can take to help smooth the way, and an experienced Chicago child custody attorney is standing by to help.

Don’t Make Any Sudden Moves

Until your child custody terms are set, you should not – under any circumstances – move away with your children. The court could also, however, respond by drastically reducing your parenting time schedule and awarding your divorcing spouse primary custody.  

Don’t Put Your Children in the Middle

While you wouldn’t purposefully do anything to harm your children, the turmoil of divorce can cloud anyone’s judgment. By making it your policy to implement the following best practices, you do right by your children and can help turn the heat down on your divorce:

• Other than calmly telling your children what they need to know about your divorce, don’t discuss the matter with them.
• Don’t communicate with your divorcing spouse through your children.
• Don’t use the children as weapons to leverage better child custody terms with your divorcing spouse.
• Get the support you need to help ensure that your stress doesn’t affect your children any more than it has to.
• Don’t forget to carve time out to have fun and bond with your children. 

By demonstrating that you are prepared to take the high road in this arena, you may help take the edge off your child custody negotiations.

Don’t Withhold Parenting Time in Response to Unpaid Child Support

Illinois courts base decisions regarding child custody on the involved children’s best interests, and they expect parents to uphold the terms ordered. If your divorcing spouse is not keeping up their child support payments while your divorce is pending, it’s a matter you’ll need to take up with the court and that you do not have the authority to address by withholding court-ordered parenting time. This approach can come back to haunt your child custody case. 

Don’t Attempt to Sway Your Children

Your children love both you and their other parent, and you do them a disservice by attempting to sway their opinion about your soon-to-be ex. Such tactics not only harm your children, but they can – and likely will – also get back to the judge presiding over your child custody case, and as such, they can directly affect your child custody terms. 

An Experienced Chicago Child Custody Attorney Has the Legal Skill to Help

The compassionate Chicago child custody attorneys at Hammer Serna & Quinn, LLC, take immense pride in the skilled legal guidance we are able to provide our valued clients, and we’re here for you too. To learn more about protecting your parental rights while helping to smooth the path forward, reach out and contact us today.