Many Kentucky parents would say that the most important job they will ever have is raising their kids. In a divorce, most parents want to do what they can to make the transition easier on their children. This is why the most important elements in any child custody matter are always the same, a loving mother and a loving father.

The only time this varies is in cases where one parent suffers from drug or alcohol abuse or there was abuse or neglect in the household. Otherwise, regular contact with both parents remains at the forefront of any child’s needs. Research tends to support the assertion that shared parenting provides for and meets the best interests of the children.

Even as more parents work together in order to share custody as equally as possible, courts across the country, and perhaps here in Kentucky, continue to give mothers primary custody of their children in approximately 80 percent of custody cases. Sources indicate that this is due to a largely misguided belief that a great deal of conflict exists between divorced parents, and that conflict could adversely affect the children. Even when there is conflict, the extent of the bond between each parent and the child made the most difference in the course of the child’s life.

What does this mean for parents about to embark on determining their child custody issues? It means that parents should be free to make arrangements they feel will best benefit their children and the whole family. Even as the courts adhere to the best interests of the children standard, they do not know the children or the family dynamic in the same way that the parents do.

Source: startribune.com, “Rosenblum: New research supports shared custody for children in divorce”, Gail Rosenblum, Aug. 30, 2017