As a parent in Illinois who’s currently going through a divorce, there are likely many things on your mind regarding child custody. Who will be the primary custodial guardian? How will you divide the visitation schedule? Joint custody is also a potential option for you to look into, if your situation supports it.
Divorce Magazine takes a look at the benefits of joint custody, which are being proven and expanded upon every day. The primary draw for joint custody is the fact that recent studies have shown it to have a lighter psychological and emotional impact on your child. While divorce can be traumatic to a degree no matter what arrangements you go with, there’s been a reported drop in psychological, emotional, and psychosomatic issues related to divorce when the child’s parents share custody.
It has also been reported that the level of conflict in joint custody households is lowered in general. Not only is there reportedly less fighting between the ex-spouses, but the children are also less likely to pick a fight with either parent. This lowered conflict can contribute to the overall feeling of security in the house and shield children from feeling guilt or blame for the divorce, which is unfortunately common.
Joint custody arrangements may not be the best fit for every household. However, if you and your ex-spouse get along well enough, you may wish to consider sharing custody equally rather than giving one parent primary custody. The potential benefits may be worthwhile for you.