Shared custody, also known as joint custody, refers to a custody arrangement where both parents play an active role in raising their children after a separation or divorce. This arrangement has become increasingly popular across Texas in recent years, and for good reason.
Shared custody offers a range of benefits for children that contribute to their emotional and psychological well-being.
Stability and routine
When parents in Texas share custody, it helps inject stability and routine into a child’s life. Regular contact with both parents gives children a sense of predictability, and this predictability can help reduce anxiety related to a divorce or separation.
Strong parent-child relationships
Shared custody allows children to maintain strong ties to both parents. This ensures that they receive love, emotional support and guidance from both their mother and father. Children benefit from the unique perspectives, experiences and parenting styles of each parent, and parental differences can help children develop a better understanding of the world around them.
Reduced stress
Children often experience less stress when parents share custody. Knowing they have access to both parents alleviates the fear of losing one or the other. Reduced stress levels, in turn, can have a positive impact on a child’s overall well-being.
Improved academic performance
Research shows that kids whose parents share custody perform better in school and have higher grade point averages than their peers who live in single-parent homes by 0.2–0.4 points.
While divorce or separation can be challenging for families, a shared custody arrangement can help mitigate some of the negative impacts on children, allowing them to thrive in a supportive and nurturing environment provided by both parents.
