Being the better person and keeping your composure can be challenging when you are going through a divorce. Hurtful things are often said, which is completely normal when you go through a divorce. If everything were perfect, you would split your child custody fairly and move on. But unfortunately, that is often not the case. So for you to take the higher road, our Texas divorce attorney is sharing our guidance with child custody case mistakes to avoid when going through a divorce in Texas.
Child custody mistakes to avoid when going through a divorce in Texas
We have seen these child custody case mistakes made often with our clients. Instead, doing what is best for your children and their future is essential. So, here are the top things you should never do in your child custody case.
Avoid being selfish.
As you work through your child custody case to come up with an agreement, take the time to write down what you feel would be a fair arrangement for first, your children, second, yourself, and your ex-spouse. In these situations, your children should feel safe and comfortable and have an agreement that causes little interference in their life.
Do not stop co-parenting.
Until your children are eighteen, you will have to work together co-parent with your ex-spouse. Co-parenting is so important and in the best interest of your children. Parents that can work together to co-parent also have a better outcome with their child custody case. Here are some tips on how to successfully co-parent with your ex-spouse.
Avoid posting about your divorce and child custody case on social media.
Social media posts can be used in court. Therefore, you must not discuss your child custody case or imitate details of your divorce online. Instead, keep your social media positive. Here are the top things to avoid posting on social media.
- Comments, ranks, and negative statements about your custody case
- Jokes or negative comments about your ex-spouse
- Never post threatening statements or any that seem violent about your ex-spouse.
Avoid sending negative texts and emails.
Your ex-spouse is going to make you upset or angry. However, it is vital to keep your composure and take a few minutes before responding negatively to your spouse, saying something you might regret. Avoiding nasty responses is hard and takes practice. However, it will only benefit you and your case. Let your spouse be the one to come across as unfavorable; this will only affect themselves as the case evolves.
Do not bash your ex-spouse to your children.
Bashing your ex-spouse to your children, unfortunately, happens all too often. When discussing your ex-spouse with your children, you should always avoid the following;
- Trying to get your children to see your point of view
- Saying negative things about your ex-spouse to your children
- Sharing intimate details about your divorce with your children
- Letting them hear you talk about your ex-spouse in a negative way
Prepare for your child custody case in Texas.
The best thing you can do to prepare for your case is to ensure you have all your documents organized. For example, in your child custody case, if your ex-spouse is becoming more difficult or the case is becoming ugly. These documents to gather would include emails, texts, and correspondence between yourself and your ex-spouse.
For more helpful resources regarding child custody, you can refer to this article; Myths about child custody in Texas.
It is also best that you work with your Texas divorce attorney. Do not try to navigate this alone. They will be able to help you organize all your documents and put your child custody case together, including your court dates, legal paperwork, and child custody visitation schedule.