The custody of a child is divided into two types that are legal and physical. The legal custody associated with child care, right to make decisions for the well-being of the child, and control of child. This legal custody also termed as joint custody. The impact of joint custody is quite severe on the life of child as well as on both the parents. Additionally, these impacts can be positive or negative
Positive Impact of Joint Custody
Under the law of Virginia, joint custody is that situation in which both the parents participate in the decision making for the child in different ways but in a set schedule. In the following ways the positive impact of joint custody will be highlighted:
- Allows increased time for each parent
One of the biggest benefits of joint custody is that the child enjoys increased time with his/her each parent that eventually strengthen the child bonding to his/her both parents.
- Both parents were benefitted because of other
Being single parent is quite difficult. Therefore, joint custody relieves the stress and distributes the responsibility of each parent.
- Making significant decision for child
Often, it is difficult for a single parent to make major decisions about a child’s life such as about religion, education, or career. These decisions require consultation with both the parents. Therefore, it is quite a significant impact of joint custody where both parents can communicate with each other and consult on major decisions of child’s life.
- Child’s emotional and social growth
From the participation of both their parent in the life of the child, the child not only grows physically but also emotionally. Both the parents equally participate in each decision of the life of child that eventually makes up the personality of child and their divorce would not impact on child.
Negative Impact of Joint Custody
Although there are different benefits of joint custody, it is not successful enough. Apart from all of the above points, the negative impact of joint custody are as under:
- Travelling of Child life
The most significant impact of joint custody is that the child does not have any settled place to live. He/she keep moving to fulfill his/her parental need. This will disturb social needs and education of the child. The child feels as he does have any home. Moreover, child’s belongings were also distributed among both homes.
- Discrete personality
Due to different learnings of each parent such as mother suggested a way to solve the assignment; however, father suggested another way, the personality of child will be discreted. Such children usually have weak decisions making abilities and confused personality.
- Unresolved issues of parents
The unresolved issues of parents result in conflicts in their decision about parent as well as create negative image of each parent in the mind of the child. Additionally, parents will also have different conflicts on child significant decisions such as religion and others. Therefore, the child becomes emotionally and mentally distressed that results in weak personality of child.