Joint custody served as a subject of study across the globe and through many decades. The results of the studies generally paint joint custody in a good, beneficial light.
But does every family actually benefit from joint custody? Or should some families opt for something else?
Benefits for children and parents
The National Library of Medicine discusses joint custody as a potential option. Joint custody supposedly holds numerous benefits for both children and parents of divorce situations.
For parents, it provides the ability for the parent-child relationship and bond to remain intact and continue growing healthily in the coming years. It also allows parents to continue working together in their parenting journey, splitting the burdens that come along with being a parent.
For children, many studies show that children who experience joint custody have numerous advantages compared to children who experience sole custody. For one, they tend to develop healthier coping at younger ages. They also seem to have better relationship-making and maintenance skills.
Who joint custody does not work for
But not every family will benefit from joint custody in the same way. In fact, for some people, joint custody is not a feasible option at all.
For example, some families cannot physically stay in the same area, which is necessary for frequent visitations or shared custody. This can include parents serving in active duty military, parents facing incarceration, or parents taking care of sickly or elderly relatives.
In such situations, joint custody may serve as an option to revisit in the future. For the time being, however, another option may work better.