Child Custody and Your Career: How to Get Both

In the past, the stay-at-home parent—typically the mother—was the one who got custody of the kids. That still holds true today. However, today’s working woman aims to have it all. They want a successful career and then come home, help the kids with their homework, take them to soccer practice and cook a nutritious meal before reading them bedtime stories.

While this seems like an ideal situation for Florida working mothers, this is more of a fantasy. There’s simply not enough hours in the day to do it all, even though a “supermom” may think otherwise. Child rearing is not an easy job, and it sometimes takes a lot of help from others. That’s why there are so many daycare facilities, nannies and babysitters all over the country.

This doesn’t mean you can’t get custody of your children at all. You may be able to get at least partial custody, especially if you’re willing to make some concessions when it comes to your career and make your children a priority.  If you want to increase your parenting time, you need to be as involved in your child’s life as possible. Here are some things to consider before you state your case before the court.

Consider Your Child’s Daily Routine

When fighting for more time with your child, don’t simply focus on winning. Focus on how both you and the other parent can spend as much time with the children as possible. It’s best to have both parents in your children’s lives and with the least amount of stress possible. You’ll need to consider your child’s daily routine and how your routine fits in with this. Are you available in the mornings to get the kids to school? What about at night? What happens when your child has a day off from school or needs to come home sick? Think about all these possible situations and be honest.

Don’t Be Too Enthusiastic

Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Avoid being an overachiever. You don’t want to let your children down because you promised to take them to soccer practice and now you won’t be home in time. Think about your work commitments, particularly meetings and travel, and be realistic. 

Be Open and Honest at Work 

The corporate culture has become more family-friendly in the past decade. Many employees are working mothers, so there’s no shame in being upfront with your boss about your childcare responsibilities. Try to plan time off in advance so your co-workers don’t have to scramble to cover your work. If you need early on Fridays, for example, set this up in advance. Ask about alternative work arrangements, such as telecommuting. This can help you in emergencies, such as when you have to care for a sick child.

Seek Legal Help

Even if you have a demanding career, you can still get custody of your children in a divorce. It may not be easy, but if you make some compromises, you can have both.

Your children are your top priority. Fort Lauderdale child custody attorney Edward J. Jennings, P.A. can help you with your child custody concerns. To schedule a consultation, fill out the online form or call 954-764-4330.

Resource:

forbes.com/sites/frawleypollock/2019/11/20/how-to-maximize-your-custody-rights-while-managing-your-career/#6b4ea6a27e93

https://www.ejj-law.com/discussing-finances-as-co-parents/