Effects of Child Custody

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Once upon a time, a traditional family structure was created by one man marrying one woman and procreating. Within the last few years, this has begun to change. Family structures are now being changed and created through divorce and remarriage, same-sex partners, and single-parents. When the leaders of these family structures can no longer co-exist, divorce or separation comes. If children are involved, a custody agreement needs to be arranged. A custody agreement never seems to be black and white especially with new family structures evolving. When it comes to same-sex parents, how are children supposed to split their time equally? The traditional belief of a child needing a mother and a father no longer applies in these relationships. This can be very hard on a child especially if the parents cannot agree, and it turns into a custody battle. Children are torn between the parents and many psychological issues evolve. Child custody battles are usually never easy on a child because they can create emotional conflict, academic stress, and other social related stress factors.
Child custody battles do not always have to be negative and create emotional conflict in a child’s life. When it comes to a custody battle, parents need to learn to keep their feelings about the other parent away from the child. If the parents are able to stay amiable and cordial to one another, the child will see that it is not going to be all bad. Dr. Judith Myers-Wall, associate professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Child Development and Family Studies, and Nithyakala Karruppaswamy, co-writer, advise parents going through custody battles to give children information. Myers-Wall and Karruppawamy (2013) say, “Children adjust bet...

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