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In the past, child custody court judges usually based their custody and visitation decisions on the prevailing opinion of child psychologists, which was heavily in favor of keeping infants with their mothers full-time. It was thought that babies could not form attachments to both their mother and father in different environments, and that having a very young child spend even one day or overnight away from its mother was not healthy.
The "Old School" Attitude about Custody
This mind-set usually resulted in custody decisions that gave a divorced father very limited time with his infant child. Indeed, mothers were often given full and sole custody of children up to the age of five. A father's rights and needs to be with his child were considered a lower priority than the child's undisturbed attachment to its mother.
A New Perspective
The age-old problem of 'what is best for the children' after a divorce has been revisited, however. More recent research by child development specialists indicates that infants can and do form lasting and healthy bonds with both parents even when the parents are living in separate households. In fact, these experts now contend that infants, toddlers, and young children should spend lots of time with both their mother and father after their divorce.
Work Out a Parenting Schedule
Even the terms that divorce courts are using for custody and visitation are changing. A less confrontation term, "parenting schedule," is gaining favor in many family law systems. It's felt that this term stresses the cooperative nature that ex-spouses should strive for. The word "custody" has rather possessive connotations, and "visitation" points out that one parent has custody while the other only gets "visits."
As the father of an infant, you do have the right to seek a parenting schedule that meets your child's needs and is satisfactory to both you and your ex-wife.
Find Out More about Child Custody
You can consult a divorce attorney in your area today and ask about your own situation ─ find out what might be right for you.