As a Louisiana parent, it is important that you shield your children from conflicts between yourself and your former spouse. Otherwise, you may find yourself in front of a Louisiana judge explaining why you shouldn’t lose custody or other rights to your children. Let’s take a look at some of the things that you can do to preserve the best interests of your child after a marriage ends.
Children shouldn’t be forced to choose
It is important that you don’t make your children feel like they have to choose between loving you or loving the other parent exclusively. Instead, you should encourage your child to have a relationship with yourself and the other parent at the same time. An exception may be made if that person abuses or neglects your son or daughter.
Don’t fight in front of the kids
A child will learn a lot from how you interact with your former spouse. As a general rule, children tend to adjust better to their new circumstances when they see their parents acting in a civil manner toward each other. If you do have an issue with your child’s other parent, be sure to address it in a more private setting.
Consider your child’s feelings
It is important that you do what is right for your children even if it isn’t convenient or necessarily fair to you. For instance, you don’t want to use your child as a tool to win an argument or to get back at your former partner. In many cases, you could be depriving your son or daughter of the chance to learn from a person who may be a good parent despite being a poor spouse.
Parents who are seeking custody rights to their children are encouraged to take steps to show that obtaining them is in their best interest. These steps may include moving to a safer neighborhood or getting a job that has regular hours each day. An attorney may help a client create a strategy to obtain greater parental rights.
