Families going through divorce are increasingly realizing that the traditional method of splitting custody may not be best for all involved, especially for the children. As a result, experts are advocating that families in Virginia consider alternate arrangements for dividing the children when both parents have an equal split of custody time.

The usual custody approach when both parents share custody is that the children alternate weeks at each of the parents’ homes. However, when a child is faced with a week without the other parent, there is often separation anxiety, and it could have some adverse psychological effects on the children. Moreover, when the parents have trouble communicating, there is a need for frequent communication as the children need to speak with the other parent when they are not present.

Experts are advising parents now to look at arrangements where the children move between the parents’ homes more frequently with the end result still being a 50-50 split. This can help parents better accommodate work schedules and the arrangements necessary to have the children there. This is new thinking and is not the conventional alternative, but it can work for the good of both the parents and the children. Parents should at least be flexible in their thinking so they consider other things that may work better than the conventional.

A family law attorney might be able to assist when parents need to think through alternate custody arrangements. He or she may give advice as to the best way to negotiate or implement this type of schedule. The lawyer might be especially helpful when the two parents are contemplating an arrangement that is either not traditional or is novel.