3 Strategies for Coping During a Challenging Child Custody Dispute

 Posted on March 26, 2020 in Child Custody

Divorce involving children can be stressful regardless of the situation, but divorce involving parents who disagree on child custody issues can be especially difficult. In Illinois, the term “child custody” has been replaced with the “allocation of parental responsibilities” and “parenting time.” Divorcing parents are expected to agree on a strategy for how parental responsibilities and parenting time will be managed after the divorce in their official Illinois “parenting plan.”

However, many parents do not see eye-to-eye regarding this plan. Parents may disagree on which parent will make major decisions about the child’s life and upbringing, the amount of time that the child spends with each parent, household rules, and more.  If you are in a contentious child-related legal dispute, the following tips may help you to cope.

Avoid Sharing Too Much Information on Social Media

Many people make the mistake of oversharing on social media websites like Facebook and Twitter. Although these may seem like the perfect places to air grievances against your soon-to-be-ex, doing so will likely worsen the drama surrounding your child custody dispute. In addition to causing later feelings of embarrassment and regret, sharing details about child custody matters online may also influence the case. Even if you decide to delete what you posted, other people can still save a copy of what you wrote and use it against you during any legal proceedings.

Get Counseling or Other Psychological Support

If you are going through a hostile custody battle, you know just how frustrating, depressing, and maddening the process can be. It is possible that your child’s other parent is lying about you in order to discredit you as a parent or over-inflating his or her own parenting abilities. He or she may be refusing to compromise or insisting on a child custody arrangement this is grossly unfair. Whatever your situation, it is likely causing you a tremendous amount of emotional suffering. Speaking to a mental health professional will allow you to vent your frustrations and discuss your feelings in a supportive, and most importantly, confidential environment. If formal counseling is not right for you, a divorce support group or compassionate friend or family member may also provide the emotional support you need.

Maintain Children’s Routines as Much as Possible

If you know that your divorce has been just as hard on your children as it has been for you, you may be tempted to start relaxing the rules. You may be considering letting the children stay up past their bedtimes or eat junk food as a way of cushioning the negative consequences of your divorce. However, experts say that children are best able to cope with divorce when their lives remain structured and their daily routines are as close to normal as possible. Not only will keeping your normal routines provide stability for your children, it can also help you feel less overwhelmed by the many changes in your life. Use the time that your children are away from home or in bed to take care of your own needs.  

Contact a Rolling Meadows Child Custody Lawyer

At A. Traub & Associates, we have seen just how difficult many child custody disputes can be. That is why we are committed to helping parents reach a resolution regarding child-related disagreements as quickly and efficiently as possible. To learn more about how we can help you, call our office at 847-749-4182 and schedule a confidential consultation with a skilled Arlington Heights family law attorney.

Sources:

https://www.liveabout.com/help-dealing-with-a-high-conflict-custody-dispute-2998162

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/parenting-family/children-and-divorce.htm