What are the benefits of shared custody?

When divorcing parents want to figure out custody methods, shared custody often comes up as a good possibility.

But what exactly is shared custody? And it what ways does it benefit the child, the parents and the family unit on a whole?

Benefits for the children

Forbes discusses different options for custody. Of course, for most parents, the most important thing when determining custody arrangements is to ensure that they work in the best interest of the child. The court will also be keeping this in mind when they make their decision, if a couple goes through litigation rather than an alternative method.

Many children of divorce benefit from shared custody. Studies show that they have lower rates of anxiety and depression than their peers in a single parenting situation.

Other studies show that these individuals tend to form healthier coping mechanisms, which reduces potential risks like gambling or alcohol addiction later down the road.

Benefits for the parents

Of course, parents benefit from this arrangement as well. For example, they both have more time to bond with their child, rather than one parent having a majority or even the entirety of the child’s time.

It also allows parents to work on healthy co-parenting methods together. After all, nailing a good balance is crucial for the child’s mental health and wellness moving forward.

Though shared custody does not work for everyone, it has benefits for the families that it does work for. Most importantly, it puts the child’s best interests first, which benefits the entire family unit.