As a married couple with a child, it is easy to establish parental responsibilities on the part of each of the parents. Whether that responsibility is assigned by one to the other, or they are a result of mutual agreement, each parent has their own set of parental responsibilities in the raising of their child.
One type of custody is the physical custody of the child. The physical custody of the child will determine with whom the child will reside with. During cases involving Another type of custody is legal custody. This type of custody gives the custodial parent full legal authority to make all decisions on the child’s behalf. In this case, sole legal custody would mean that decisions that were once discussed between both parents will now fall solely on the custodial parent. If the court decides to grant joint legal custody, which is more common, the parental responsibility of making the child’s decision will fall on both parents. Although it may be easier for one parent to make all the decisions for the child, keep in mind that it is not about the parent’s convenience, but rather, the best interest of the child in question.
Divorce can often be a stressful time for the parents. However, communication between the parents, especially regarding parental responsibility, is not only necessary but vital to the welfare of the child. It may not always be the easiest thing to acknowledge when you are going through a painful divorce, but the welfare of a child should transcend all ancillary matters.
