Going through divorce as a parent has many additional stressors that childless couples never even have to think about.
Figuring out a custody situation that benefits everyone equally is one of the many unique things that parents have to keep in mind. Among the options, joint custody could prove particularly beneficial to some.
What joint custody allows for parents
Psychology Today discusses joint custody and its potential benefits. Joint custody is an option that allows both parents to have equal legal custody of their children. Sometimes equal physical custody is possible too, but this is rarer due to the fact that parents do not often cohabitate after the split.
Instead, it focuses on allowing both parents to have an equal say in their child’s life, and an equal presence. This allows parents to continue growing and nurturing a healthy bond with their kids even after the marriage ends.
The benefits for children
It also provides numerous benefits for the children. Studies done across the decades and the globe have indicated that compared to peers who experience sole custody, children who experience joint custody have healthier coping mechanisms earlier in life and healthier relationships.
On top of that, these children also have the support of a two-parent household. This can help remove some of the stress and strain that often comes along with a divorce, where children tend to feel responsible for the dissolution of the marriage somehow.
With this reduction of stress and additional support, both children and parents can reap the benefits of more stable home life and interpersonal relationships.