San Mateo parents and others may benefit from child custody tips

by | Mar 15, 2019 | Firm News

In California and across the country, many parents may currently be facing situations that are similar to yours. In your own San Mateo neighborhood, there may be parents who can relate to the issues you’re trying to resolve regarding child custody and other family matters as you navigate the family legal system during divorce proceedings. This state also happens to be home to many celebrities.

While Hollywood may not be your first, logical choice for seeking parenting advice, you might be surprised at some of the worthwhile post-divorce tips some of the town’s biggest stars have to offer. In fact, keeping some of these tips in mind may help you avoid stress and complications in your own post-divorce relationship with your co-parent. Then again, it’s always good to know where to seek licensed support, if a particular problem arises that you feel ill-equipped to handle on your own.

You are ex-spouses, not ex-parents

Divorce definitely changes your family dynamic. However, because you have children together, you and your spouse will always be connected in a family sense. Some celebrities, such as Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, commit themselves to remaining on good terms for the sake of their kids. This former couple continues to live in the same house and to vacation together as a family.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin have taken up separate residences; however, they agree to dine together once a week, so that their children can continue to experience a family atmosphere with both parents at the same time.

Children fare best in shared custody situations

Most California judges would agree that the optimum post-divorce situation concerning children is to provide them ample opportunity to spend time with each of their parents. As long as the central focus is the well-being of your children, you can customize your plan to fit their needs, whether you and your spouse get along well enough for such visits to occur simultaneously or you’d rather divide the time between households.

Not all celebrities are able to amicably resolve their differences to create fair and agreeable post-divorce co-parenting plans. Some, such as Kelly Rutherford and Daniel Giersch, have fought over whether their children should reside in the United States with their mother or in Europe with their father. Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin battled in court over child custody issues for five years.

Famous or not, support is available

You may relate to a particular celebrity’s co-parenting story or read of an experience that brings a certain issue to your attention that you want to avoid at all costs, such as a long, drawn-out court battle. You want what is best for your children, and, hopefully, you and your ex are like-minded on the issue; however, the family legal system is available to you any time you wish to seek the court’s intervention to help you resolve a specific legal problem.