Children Issues and Divorce
There are many issues involved with a divorce when there are children. These issues include child custody, parental responsibility, child support, and other issues.
Shared Parental Responsibility
Parental Responsibility is the term used in structuring which parent has what responsibility in the day to day decision making and long term planning. Society and the Court's like Shared Parental responsibility when both parents are actively involved in decision making. For instance, what school the child will attend, what religious training and where if any, summer camp, sleep away camp, working, etc. This shared parental responsibility also promotes both spouses involvement in the child's life and strengthens the bonds between the children and their respective parents.
Child Custody
Child Custody is still loosely used to describe which parent has custody of the child, but with Shared Parental Responsibility, both parents share the responsibility of raising the child. Child Custody is used more now to describe who the child primarily resides or lives with.
Child Support
Child support is the financial obligation one parent, usually the non residential parent, pays the other to assist in the financial obligations of day to day custody. In computing how much child support should be awarded, the Court uses the child support guidelines enacted into law.
In general the Court looks at the total income of the household, and computes the expenses involved in child care including but not limited to the following expenses:
- Medical care
- Day care
- Food
- Shelter
- Clothing
- Entertainment
- School
- Extra-Circular Activities
- and the list goes on
The Court will then compute the expense of the child and assign a proportional amount to pay based roughly on the proportional amount of income brought in by that parent.
Suggestion: Act Like An Adult Who Loves Their Children
There are few more heart wrenching things then seeing children caught up in a messy divorce. Children need to be loved and to feel safe and protected as much as they need food and shelter. This is especially true when a divorce is involved and significant changes are taking place. For the health and well being of your children, please consider the following when dealing with your divorce.
- Remember when dealing with your children, you are divorcing your spouce, not them. Do not allow your feelings about your divorce to dictate your actions, behavior, or feelings towards them.
- Do not speak bad about your spouse or their family. Even after the divorce, your ex-spouse will still be a parent and their family will still be your child's family.
- Do not use your children as leverage to get more money or pay less money. Money can always be made or reacquired, but a child's view of their parents and the world is more difficult to reclaim.
- When you are with your children, love them and enjoy the time with them. Do not spend the time hating or resenting your spouse.
- Do not involve your children in the divorce by asking them questions about your spouse, including are they seeing anyone, whether they speak about you, what they are doing, etc.
- DO act like an adult. Divorce is an Adult topic and act, ACT LIKE ONE.
- Do tell your children you love them no matter what.
- Make them feel protected and safe by keeping from them the awful things you think about your spouse.
- It is ok to ask them if there is anything they need, provided you do not say it in a manner implying that your spouse is a "deadbeat".
- Consider the effect that everything you say will have on yoru children, not just today but forever. The amazing thing about children is that they never forget, that includes the bad as well as the good.
Pinellas Divorce Lawyer
When you need an experienced Divorce Lawyer, contact Attorney Robert Tager with the Tager Law Firm. He is dedicated to fighting for you while working hard to keep your divorce financially affordable, reasonable, and manageable. Attorney Tager offers a FREE divorce consultation for you to evaluate his ability, philosophy, and to allow you to determine if he meets your needs. Attorney Tager also gives free consultations to determine whether he wants to accept your case. Not only should you be represented by someone you want as your lawyer, but you should have a lawyer that wants you as a client.
You can reach him at (727) 723-1616 or (813) 855-7788 or by email.
