Parenting Time in Illinois - Protecting Your Child's Interests While Deciding on the Details of Your Divorce

 Posted on November 09, 2018 in Visitation

While divorce can negatively impact all involved parties, children are often the most vulnerable. They also have little to no control over their situation, and that can lead to all sorts of problems later on down the line, such as social isolation, emotional or behavioral issues, and poor academic performance. Yet, when done under the right circumstances, with the child's best interests in mind, divorce can sometimes benefit children. In the following sections, you can learn more on how to effectively balance your child's best interests against your own needs to achieve the latter situation.

Is Divorce Bad for Kids? 

For decades, parents were led to believe that divorce is inherently “bad” for children. Yet, as time passes, research shows it is not necessarily the divorce process that negatively impacts children, so much as it is their home environment.

Researchers of a monumental study came to this conclusion after following groups of children whose parents fought frequently (children who started out in tumultuous home environments). Some of those marriages ended in divorce. Others stayed together. Interestingly enough, it was the children from divorced homes that fared better in this study. Similar results have been found in other scenarios, such as marriages that involve an element of domestic violence. In short, children do not always suffer from divorce, at least not long-term - but when married parents are miserable and unhappy, children may actually benefit more from a separation or divorce.

Balancing Your Wants Against Your Child's Best Interests in Divorce

Of course, not all marriages are quite as conflict-ridden as those in the previously mentioned study. In fact, more and more parents these days are striving for an amicable end to their union. How does this affect children, and how can parents balance their own wants against the needs and best interests of their child?

The answer may not be entirely straightforward, but it is clear: Parents are encouraged to carefully consider their child's bond with each parent, how living in either home might impact their life, and how often their child may be capable of moving from one home to the next. In short, you really have to take yourself out of the equation.

Try to remember that your chid loves both of his or her parents, and that more and more studies are showing that children actually benefit most when they have ample time with both parents (so long as the relationship is a safe and healthy one). As such, Illinois and several other states are now considering bills that propose a 50-50 parenting time split as the starting point in a divorce.

Getting the Parenting Time You Deserve Now

Until the bill in Illinois is either passed or rejected, divorcing fathers must continue to fight for their right to equal time with their child. In fact, studies have shown that this state is one of the worst for fathers when it comes to court-ordered parenting time determinations. Thankfully, with skilled and aggressive legal counsel during the divorce process, fathers can increase their chances of getting the parenting time that they so rightfully deserve.

Contact Our Joliet Parenting Time Attorneys 

With over 60 years of experience, the Law Offices of Tedone and Morton, P.C. can help you reach a fair parenting time determination in your divorce. Our seasoned Joliet divorce lawyers also know how critical protection can be for divorcing domestic violence victims and their children, and we skillfully and compassionately assist them as they navigate through the complex legal processes that may be necessary in their divorce. Whatever your needs, you can trust that our firm will strive to meet them with professionalism and empathy. Call 815-666-1285 today.

Sources:

https://www.livescience.com/6648-divorce-bad-kids.html

https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/barrington/community/chi-ugc-article-proposed-5050-visitation-bill-a-court-enfor-2018-04-17-story.html

https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/parenting/ct-life-divorced-dad-custody-study-20180606-story.html