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Child custody matters may come to light during the holidays

When the partners to a Massachusetts married couple end their relationship there can be a host of legal matters they must sort out. Particularly if the partners share children will they have to establish custodial, visitation and support matters before their affiliation is officially severed through divorce. Parents in Massachusetts can share the legal and physical custody of their kids or their courts may establish sole custody arrangements if they serve the best interests of the children.

When parents must share their kids they must accept that they will not always be able to be with their children on special days of the year. For example, parents may agree to alternate years in which the children will stay with each parent for Thanksgiving, Christmas and other notable events. They may swap vacation periods with their exes so that their kids spend time with each parent on fair schedules.

However, often the custodial and visitation schedules that parents develop when they divorce fail to serve their kids’ needs as their children age. A schedule that had a child swapping households when they were young may be detrimental to their education or health if they have needs that are better supported in one parent’s home than the other. When the needs of a child change the family law orders that govern their existence often must change too, and the holidays are often a time when parents become aware of just what their kids require to thrive.

Claudette-Jean Girard operates a family law firm in Springfield that is dedicated to supporting parents and their children through difficult legal matters. Her committed practice is available to work with new clients who recognize the deficiencies in their child custody arrangements and wish to take steps toward serving their kids’ interests as they transition into the New Year.