There are many decisions that need to be made by divorcing parents in Illinois. One of the biggest ones is how custody is determined and if one parent gets primary custody or if it is shared equally. In many of the cases, the mom is considered the primary caregiver and, as a result, is granted more custody time than the dad. There are a number of tactics that can be used by fathers who want to be more involved with the child-rearing process.
The Huffington Post says since women typically have an advantage in many custody battles, men need to be very clear from the start what their wants and intentions are. Part of demonstrating they deserve equal or primary custody is proving to the court they understand the needs and routines of the child, and they are committed to keeping things normal in the child’s best interest. It is highly recommended that conversations around custody and support are kept completely separate, as some courts assume the father is trying to get out of paying a higher support amount.
It is also important to keep a civil relationship with the spouse. The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics reports the more stable the relationship between divorced parents, as well as the one between caretaker and child, the more secure, friendly and successful the child becomes. A father who understands this ultimately has a better chance of providing the right type of care and allowing the mom to share in a co-parenting relationship that is the most beneficial.
