When fathers in Texas get a divorce, they may feel that the courts tend to favor the mother for child custody. Furthermore, fathers often must fight against stereotypes such as the deadbeat dad. If a father truly wants to get primary custody, however, there are several things he can do to increase the likelihood that this will happen.
For starters, a father should document all the time he spends with his children as well as any money spent related to child rearing. He should also be prepared to discuss the child-father relationship with the judge. Since the judge is trying to make the decision that’s in the best interest of the child, understanding the child’s relationship with both parents will be an important part of that decision.
There are also several things a father should avoid that could hurt his bid for custody. Moving in with a significant other during the divorce, badmouthing the mother and taking the children away for any amount of time may give the judge a negative impression of the father. Above all, a father should remember that the well-being of the children is what is most important. Therefore, they should try to support their children emotionally.
Concern about a child’s well-being is one reason a parent might seek sole custody and try to limit or prevent visitation with another parent. If the other parent has substance abuse problems or is abusive, supervised visitation may be better. On the other hand, parents may simply differ in their opinions about lifestyle or how children should be raised. In such cases, it could be better for parents to obtain legal counsel and work out a mutually beneficial arrangement.