When you are going through a divorce, one of your primary concerns will be how often you will get to see your children. You know that the end of your marriage will result in changes to your relationship with your kids, and you will want to ensure that the decisions you make will allow you to maintain a strong relationship with the youngest members of your family. In cases where the parents will not share custody, an understanding of visitation is helpful.
Visitation is the amount of time that the non-custodial parent will have with his or her children. There are different types of visitation, and if you are the non-custodial parent, knowing your visitation rights is critical. You have the right to seek a specific outcome to your custody and visitation concerns, and you have the right to fight for the best interests of your children.
The best interests standard
When courts are making decisions pertaining to custody and visitation, the standard for those decisions will be in the best interests of the children. While the court may decide that one parent should retain primary custody of the kids, you still have the right to maintain an active role in their lives. There are many different factors that the courts will take into consideration, including the following:
- Which parent was the primary caretaker of the child
- How willing parents are to abide by terms of the custody and visitation order
- Willingness of parents to be cooperative
- Issues that could impact parents’ ability to care for their children effectively
- Whether the child has special needs
- Ability of each parent to provide a stable environment for their children
There are different types of visitation that could impact how and when you see your children. The types of visitation include unsupervised visitation, supervised visitation and virtual visitation. In some cases, the court may allow the parents to decide how visitation will work.
The future for your kids
The choices made during your divorce will impact your family for years to come. It is in your interests to understand your parental rights and to make choices that will allow you to provide your kids with stability and security long-term. Before you move forward, you may benefit from seeking guidance regarding your parental rights and how you can seek a beneficial outcome.