In the eyes of Texas law, mothers and fathers are deemed to share equal rights and obligations when it comes to their children. This can have significant implications when determining parenting plans in cases when parents are divorcing or even if they have never been married.
Very often, the final framework for parenting time and child support comes out being a little skewed one way or another. To be certain that everyone’s needs and wishes are taken into account, it’s important to take stock of what would constitute an optimal situation. In the end, any arrangement has to satisfy the court, so working with an attorney with experience in that court system is advisable.
In this post we try to specifically examine what some experts say a father should consider when deciding how to proceed with crafting a parenting plan. These are offered up by the group Fathers for Equal Rights.
What’s your motive?
The first thing to reflect on is the type of conservatorship (custody) you wish to hold and why. If you want to seek managing conservatorship, the type that grants you the greatest level of control over decisions that affect your child, be honest about your motives.
If the desire is driven by negative factors such as guilt, frustration, spite or a desire to use the children as leverage in property division, it might not lead to the best outcome for all the parties involved.
If your motives are framed by a loving desire to have full-time responsibility for the children and you feel that you are in the best position to provide a stable home that supports the children’s physical and emotional wellbeing, the outcome is likely to be more in line with your vision.
The key thing to keep in mind is that the court’s ultimate determinations will be based on what it deems to be in the best interest of the children.