Catharine M. Venzon Child Custody Law Blog on Lawyers.com

Few legal issues are more emotionally charged than those surrounding divorce. But even as couples must learn to live independent lives, the children face changes they may not fully understand that can dramatically affect them throughout their lives. In most cases, children can fare better when their parents find ways to enter into a cooperative divorce process and agree to settlements that provide the greatest degree of normalcy possible for the sake of their children.

Mitigating the risks of divorce on children

In its paper entitled The Effects of Divorce on Children, the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension explains the immediate and long-term effects that divorce can have on varying age ranges of children, from infants to adolescents. The article also discusses ways to help children adjust. When parents undergo the divorce process, every decision they make—and the method used to pursue divorce—can help keep the children grounded, such as the following:

• Uncontested divorce. Children fare better when they do not have to witness extensive turmoil in the relationship between their parents. When parents can keep the divorce process civilized through a negotiation process such as divorce mediation or collaborative divorce, they can greatly alleviate the stress placed on children during a difficult period.
• A cooperative custody agreement. While joint physical custody provides children with equal access to both parents, regularly moving between homes can intrude on the constancy children also require. Parents should carefully consider the specific emotional needs of their children. While they may want to retain joint custody to make the major decisions of the lives of their children, their children may fare better when one parent retains physical custody while providing liberal visitation privileges to the other parent.
• Financial stability. Although about half of U.S. custodial parents had some form of child support arrangements in 2009, only about 41 percent of those parents received the full amount. Since financial difficulties can have long-term effects on how well children perform in school and their social interactions, custodial parents who fail to receive the full child support from their former spouses need to seek immediate enforcement by obtaining experienced legal assistance.

Experienced child custody lawyers can make a difference to the future of your children The experienced Buffalo child custody lawyers and staff at Venzon Law Firm have almost three decades of experience providing skilled and compassionate legal support to clients seeking help in a wide range of sensitive family legal matters. We help clients focus on the best needs of their children during divorce settlement negotiations, and we stand ready to help even after the divorce becomes final. Call us at 716-854-7888 to learn how we can help.