Filing Child Custody Papers Can Be Traumatic for Parents and ChildWhat does Filing Child Custody Papers Mean? Filing Child Custody Papers can be a traumatic experience for parents and child. By the time these papers are considered, parents have usually arrived at a major decision: living together as a family unit is impossible and alternative arrangements have to be made in the best interests of the child. Before filing legal papers, parents should make arrangements on behalf of the child. These decisions should be made in consideration of the child's needs first and should also reflect what parents believe are in the best interests for all. 1. Consider where the child will live--with which parent? 2. Will the custody be exclusive or joint? 4. Who will pick the child up from school, take the child to extracurricular programs? 5. Who will have custody of the child during holidays? summer breaks? 6. Will there be Grandparents' visitation rights and how will these be sustained? 7. How will parents deal with child frustration and anger issues that often accompany the process of parental separation? What steps can be taken to minimize Child's sense of Trauma? Taking the necessary steps to assure the child is loved can minimize the child's sense of trauma.that often emerge from custody procedures? 1. Parents should do everything in their power to ensure the child feels loved.This can be simply having daily contact with the child in some form: telephone conversations, outings, instant messaging etc. Contact with both parents during the early critical separation period can do much to prevent a sense of abandonment in the child. 2. Shared Parenting in which the care of the child is shared equally by both parents seems to work best. 3. Reduce parental conflict as much as possible. Studies show that parental conflict is a critical factor in the child's adjustment to parent separation. 4. Maintaining proper diet and exercise routines can do much to alleviate stress and anger. What to do When Filing Child Custody Papers 1. Consult a family law attorney to represent you when filling child custody papers. Attorneys are well-versed in the particular details of child custody laws in a particular state. Given the emotional issues involved in filing for child custody, parents can do themselves a favor by seeking professional help. 2. Custody papers can be picked up from the local family court of downloaded from a family court website. 3.In a case where domestic violence( emotional and physical abuse) is the cause for child custody, it is imperative that an experienced domestic violence lawyer be consulted so that the rights of both parents and child can be maintained. Children who are victims of abuse have a right to professional help from both medical and social services. Parents have the responsibility to ensure that these services are provided to the child as early as possible. You want the best for your child. You also want the best for your family. *********************************** Learn Custody Strategies for Women from two of America's top Custody Experts. ***********************************
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