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Fathers Face Challenges when Seeking Custody

We live in a world where women are gaining equality in wages, jobs and overall success. It’s hard to imagine that there was a time where women didn’t have the right to vote, leave alone hold a job in a male oriented career. Women used to be expected to stay at home and take of their household and children rather than pursue any type of career or income. However, with the increase of divorce and an influx of single moms, things have changed.

Nowadays, women are the ones supporting their family and working their way up to prominent positions. Incidentally, women are not the only ones demanding equality anymore. In the recent years, more and more fathers are seeking full custody of their children. In fact, a study conducted by Pew Research showed that there were 2 million stay at home dads in the United States in 2012. What is interesting is that this number is almost double the number of stay at home dads from 1989. Since an increasing amount of fathers have decided to forfeit their career to stay at home with their children instead, it is not so far fetched that dads are also seeking full custody of their children.

Tips for Fathers Fighting for Custody

Seeking full custody of a child as a father can be challenging, as there is a presumption that a child belongs with their mother. Although this may be true sometimes, a child can also greatly benefit by having a strong father figure. Depending on the circumstances surrounding a situation, living with a father may even be the better option. Typically, courts refer to the best interests of the child when determining who should obtain full custody. Thus, a father who believes it’s in his child’s best interest to remain with him rather than the mother can use the following tips to help them in a custody battle:

  • Talk to your child: If your child is old enough to understand whom he or she would rather live with, then it is important that you sit down and talk to them about their preference. Sometimes, it may not matter who they would rather live with if the other parent has a living arrangement that is unsuitable for kids. However, when both living situations are similar, judges usually give a lot of weight to a child’s preference.
  • Be involved in all aspects of your child’s life: Even if you don’t currently have full custody, be present at doctor’s appointments, school conferences and other important engagements regarding your child. Keep receipts and documentation to show how much involvement you have had and how much it has cost you financially.
  • Hire an experienced family law attorney: An attorney with family law experience can be your saving grace during a custody battle. They can advise you on your rights and provide you with up to date information on how to proceed with your case. Sometimes it can boil down to who the judge in the case is or gathering a sufficient amount of evidence to prove your case. A knowledgeable child custody attorney can be a great asset to your cause.


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