Reality TV star Kim Kardashian and award-winning rapper Kanye West have been making headlines in Florida and across the country following a recent petition for divorce that Kardashian filed in court. The celebrity couple are the parents of four children, ages 7, 5, 3 and 20 months. Kardashian says she wants to resolve child custody issues in the most amicable way possible because her children’s well-being is her primary concern.
Parents must understand legal terminology in a divorce
There are several types of child custody in divorce. Physical custody typically refers to where children will live on a full or part-time basis following their parents’ divorce. Legal custody, on the other hand, refers to decision-making authority and whether one parent must consult the other before making decisions regarding medical issues, education, faith and other matters on behalf of a child.
Shared custody is often best for children
In Kardashian’s case, she has requested shared custody on both fronts. Most family court judges would agree that children tend to fare best in divorce when their parents are able to compromise and cooperate regarding physical and legal custody issues. Kardashian says that she hopes to maintain a peaceful co-parenting relationship with West and to protect her children’s privacy as much as possible.
Support is available for parents facing difficult child custody issues
Kardashian also says that, since her children are still young, she has merely told them that their father is taking time away to become healthier so that he can be a good dad and that they will see him soon. There may be a concerned Florida parent who has been unable to peacefully resolve physical and legal child custody issues in a divorce. Such circumstances are stressful and can have a negative effect on a child’s ability to cope with divorce and move on in life. It is a good idea for a parent facing such challenges to reach out for additional support in his or her community.