Adjusting to a new child custody arrangement is difficult for many people, and if you are among them, the thought of spending some of your time without your child may be keeping you up at night. Even if you have felt all along that your child would benefit from having both parents maintain an active presence in his or her life, you may find it difficult to adapt to your new custody arrangement once it actually comes to fruition. It may make things easier for you, however, if you realize how your joint custody arrangement may be of benefit to your child.
Per Time, kids whose parents are divorced, but whose parents share custody over them, typically fare better in a number of key areas than their peers who also have divorced parents, but who live with only one parent. This finding comes in the wake of a survey involving nearly 150,000 youths in either sixth or ninth grade, and it refutes a popular belief that suggests that moving back and forth between two homes causes children unnecessary stress.
Just how did children of divorce fare better when their parents shared custody over them? For starters, kids whose parents shared custody over them were less likely than their peers who also had divorced parents to experience high levels of stress. They were also less likely than their peers who lived exclusively in single-parent homes to say they experienced regular headaches or stomachaches, or to report having feels of sadness or dizziness.
Part of the reasoning behind these findings may have to do with the fact that parents who have their children living with them at least part of the time are more likely to actively engage with them. Kids who spend time living with both parents may also have larger social circles and better access to financial resources, which may also serve them well over time. Find more about child custody issues on our webpage.
