5 Things You Should Not Do When You Have Custody of Your Child

It doesn’t matter if you have been separated for many years or co-parenting for a few, the knowledge of your rights and obligations is very crucial to making the environment as smooth and peaceful as possible for your child.

Disregarding court orders or engaging in harmful behavior can have significant legal and emotional consequences. Understanding child custody agreements is crucial for parents navigating the complexities of shared parenting.

1.   Disregarding Court Orders

Perhaps the most offensive mistake a parent can commit when exercising custody over his children is contempt of court. Disregard to court orders is contempt of court and may lead to one receiving fines or jail time.

Another consequence is that you may have a compromised case or be disadvantaged in gaining or retaining access. Remember, the orders have been issued for a purpose; disregarding such can have repercussions for yourself and your child.

2.   Withholding the Child

The other dangerous behavior that parents should avoid is taking the child away from the other parent. This can be described as a form of child abuse and will have psychological impacts on the child in the future.

While there is an extremely rare instance where withholding the child might be appropriate, such as in cases of immediate danger, it is not typically recommended. If you feel that the other parent does not have the ability to care for your child, then you should express this concern through legal means and not withhold the child.

3.   Making Inappropriate Social Media Posts

What is more contemporary, the ability to connect with almost anybody through social media in the digital age while still creating much trouble for parents who have their children in their custody.

Bad parenting can be evidenced through inappropriate posts on social media that may adversely affect your case. You should ensure that you have the right privacy settings and do not upload anything that may be dangerous to your child or negative for your custody case.

4.   Failing to Make Child Support Payments

Another crucial mistake parents must avoid is failure to pay child support. Even though you and your ex-partner may not have a close understanding of child support, ensure that you pay within the time limit.

Child support will provide your child with financial tools to develop and be successful. Failure to pay child support may expose you to grave legal problems besides harming your relationship with your child.

5.   Disrespecting the Other Parent

You will even respect an ex if you do not get along with him. The well-being of a child may be emotionally distressed if a parent is offensive to the other. At times, disrespect to your ex might make co-parenting between you and them very complicated.

Here are some examples of disrespectful behavior:

• Talking derogatorily about the other parent in the presence of a child: This confuses the child and puts a strain on their conscience.
• Trying to make your child hate the other parent: It may be a form of parental alienation, which may have serious emotional effects on your child.
• Denying your child the opportunity to spend time with the other parent: This may have a negative effect on the emotional development of your child.

If you can’t be respectful to the other parent, then you may need to go for counseling. Professionalizing enables you to communicate well and resolve conflicts positively.

Additional Things to Avoid

Besides the behaviors above, parents should not do things that can be damaging when they have custody of their children. These include:

• Lying in court
• Refusing to participate in the case
• The use of alcohol or drugs
• Involving your child in the case
• Bringing new partners into your child’s life too soon
• Pushing for a trial without trying to compromise
• Showing up to court unprepared
• Behaving badly in the courtroom
• Missing out on important evidence

By avoiding these behaviors, parents can help ensure a positive and stable environment for their children.