Child Custody and the Working Mother

The workforce in Utah and across the United States is changing. We now have more than 70 percent of mothers employed, and many of these women now earn more than their husbands. And as more husbands are now staying home to care for the children, we are also seeing a shift towards more husbands being awarded primary custody in child custody disputes.

However, not all couples have adjusted to the new circumstances. Rather than fathers getting more involved in the children’s lives, they are becoming increasingly absent. This is occurring even when the mother is also the primary breadwinner. And while working at the job, many women are still also the ones primarily taking care of the children.

Your child custody lawyer needs to make certain that the judge hearing a child custody matter has all of the facts. The formula for awarding child custody in the courts has to depend upon more factors than simply looking at which parent is staying home. Appearances may be deceiving, and courts need to take a deeper look when making decisions regarding the awarding of custody.

Family law attorneys can sometimes help clients avoid making unnecessary court appearances by negotiating a favorable arrangement without bringing in a judge. Attorneys can also advise clients as to what steps to take to make certain their qualifications as a parent are noted.

Child custody matters are emotionally draining under any circumstance and it’s not always easy to be objective about what is going on. Sometimes parents require the advice of someone that understands what divorced parents are going through.

Source: Huffington Post, “Child Custody and the Working Mom,” by Lisa Helfend, June 1, 2013