If you are a divorcing parent, you might have heard the term “the child’s best interests.” A court would consider this when weighing up options related to custody and parenting.
You and your soon-to-be ex-spouse also need to remember the phrase when you move from spouses to co-parents. The breakdown of a marriage and the divorce that follows often leave co-parents in a difficult position of not wanting to deal with each other but having to because of the children.
Here are some examples of what acting in your child’s best interests might look like:
You don’t react to something your spouse says
You are meeting up with your ex to hand over the children. While you are there, they say something that riles you. Acting in the child’s best interests means not responding because your child does not need to hear you arguing or criticizing each other. If it’s something you need to respond to, you can do so at another time when there is no danger of your children overhearing.
You allow the children to stay an extra day with your ex
You are desperate to see your children and are looking forward to Saturday, when they are due back from their trip with your ex to visit their grandparents. Then your ex rings and asks if the children can stay a day longer because their cousin is having a birthday party. While you would be within your rights to insist that your ex keep to the custody schedule, if your children want to go to the party, then agreeing to the extension is likely the right thing to do, provided it does not interfere with school, etc.
It’s not always easy to put your children’s best interests first, but a well-thought-out parenting plan can go a long way to doing this.
