To maximize your time with your children in a custody case, you must be able to establish that your proposed custody arrangement is the best interests of your children. This means the more involved you are with the day to happenings in your children’s lives, the better off your case will be, and frankly, this will also be healthier for your children. This means, as early as possible, even before your divorce starts, you should be doing things like helping with homework, being involved in picking up and dropping the children off for school, sporting events, and other activities. If you are
separated, it is even more important for you to have some daily involvement in your children’s lives. Many fathers act like “weekend fathers,” and then are shocked when the court doesn’t award 50-50 custody.
One of the most common arguments made against a father having more time with the children is that the parties have difficulty communicating. There are, however, many tools that are now available that use modern technology to help parties co-parent their children effectively. One of these is called Our Family Wizard, which can help coordinate communication with the parties, and can also be used to show the court compliance or non-compliance with court orders. You should always consider these sorts of tools when putting together a parenting plan or making a proposal to the court or opposing party.
So, don’t believe the hype that some lawyers will sell you, that because they are a “Father’s Rights” firm they will somehow get you a great deal. You have to lay the groundwork, and then be able to present your case to the court, or negotiate the right deal with opposing counsel, so that you can maximize your rights, but also create a great custody arrangement for your children as well.