Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are Co-Parenting After Custody Battle
It appears that after a long and tense custody battle, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are learning how to co-parent their six children. Several news and entertainment sources, including People, are reporting that the couple and their children have had a lot of family therapy.
However, the work has paid off because the couple is now able to work together to parent their children. According to the reports, the children are staying with both parents. It appears that the couple has been able to work out a co-parenting arrangement that allows the children to be with both parents.
Brad and Angelina have six children, three boys, and three girls. The couple was married in 2014 but split in 2016. They were legally declared single just last year, but the finalization of the divorce continues.
Since their split in 2016, it has been widely reported that the custody battle was tense and, at times, very ugly. Unfortunately, their battle has played out in the media. Most couples fight their custody battles in private.
Child Custody Cases in California
Child custody laws in California are designed to ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the children. The objective when deciding custody cases is what is in the best interest of the children. The custody laws presume that continuing and frequent contact with each parent is generally in the best interest of the child, barring any threat to the child’s wellbeing or safety.
When deciding what is in the best interest of the child in a custody matter, the court considers several factors.
Factors the court considers include:
- The welfare, safety, and heath of the child
- Whether there is a history of sexual abuse or child abuse
- Any continued use or chronic use of illegal drugs by the parents
- The amount of contact and nature of the contact between the parents and the child
The court may consider other factors that it finds relevant when deciding custody cases. A judge may grant a parent sole custody or grant joint custody to both parents.
When a parent has sole physical custody, the child resides with that parent. The other parent may be granted visitation. Sole legal custody gives one parent complete decision-making power for the child, including decisions related to education, religion, healthcare, and activities.
In most cases, parents and children benefit more from a settlement than they do from a lengthy court battle over custody. Parents who can negotiate a custody settlement and agree to co-parent are generally happier with the outcome of the case compared to having a judge decide what is in the best interest of the children.
Benefits of Co-Parenting Your Children
A divorce or legal separation can be difficult for all family members, especially children. Children must transition from having both parents in the home to shuffling between two homes. Even in an amicable divorce, children can find it difficult to be separated from one parent for extended periods.
However, when parents can agree to co-parent their children, the entire family benefits. Parents spend more quality time with their children, and children continue to have the benefit of both parents playing an active role in their lives.
Some of the benefits of co-parenting include:
- Children have a greater sense of stability and normalcy
- A decrease in anxiety and stress for all family members
- Children are less likely to feel torn between their parents and forced to “choose” a side
- Reduction in conflicts about parenting as both parents focus on the needs and best interests of their children
- Children may be less likely to feel abandoned by either parent
- Greater emotional support for both parents as they work together to face the challenges of parenting instead of facing the challenges as a single parent
- Children can learn how to resolve conflicts in a healthy manner by watching their parents work through parenting issues amicably
- Parents can present a united front in matters related to school, social activities, discipline, and other rules and restrictions
- Children have better relationships with each parent and spend more time with each parent
It can be challenging for some couples to learn to co-parent. However, if the parents are committed to providing a safe, stable, loving home for their children after a divorce, they can succeed in co-parenting.
In some cases, having a mediator can be helpful when negotiating a co-parenting agreement. A mediator can help the parents work through issues to develop a parenting plan that works best for the family.
A collaborative divorce may also help parents work through their parenting issues in an amicable process. Through the collaborative divorce process, parents can work out custody arrangements, visitation, child support, and other issues related to co-parenting their children after the divorce.