Baltimore & Towson Lawyer Discusses Child Support and Single Mothers.
A major issue for many parents who are in the midst of divorce is child custody. At one point in time, it was automatically assumed that the mother would get full custody of the children and the father would simply have visitation rightsf as established by the court. However, in more recent years, there has been a cultural shift that has led to a change, particularly when it comes to men and women in the workforce.
Today, more women are working and maintaining the title of “breadwinner.” Given that fact, Circuit Court for Baltimore County judges have to look closely at both parents and their situations in order to determine what is in the best interest of the children. Previously, it was simple for mothers to get custody of the children, especially if they chose to stay home to raise them. The court would simply allow them to continue that role on a full-time basis. The fathers, who typically were the breadwinners, had to pay child support (and in some cases, alimony) to provide financially for the family.
Shared Custody is Quite Common Today
Now that times have changed, it is not uncommon for divorcing parents to be granted shared or joint custody of the children. In fact, your Towson family law attorney will tell you that judges tend to grant joint custody of the kids, unless there is evidence that doing so would be harmful to the children.
Still, when courts grant joint custody to divorcing couples, the mother may be devastated by the decision. She may feel as though she is being punished for being a working mother and she may feel as though her children are being taken away from her because of it. Courts are required and expected to be gender-neutral and non-discriminatory toward working parents; however, for the mother who believes otherwise, it will be a tough task to get her to see the benefit of the arrangement and its overall effect on the children.
So, what’s the best way for a mother to deal with the situation? First, she can start by keeping in mind that she cannot give 100 percent of herself to both her children and her career, so there’s no need for her to beat herself up about it. Working mothers in Maryland and all throughout the rest of the country still take great care of their children while maintaining the careers they love. The key to doing so successfully is to maintain communication with the kids as much as possible.
Additionally, it is important to remember that even though the marriage has come to an end, it is still possible to co-parent successfully. The other parent loves the children just as much as you and he or she can be the best ally as you continue to raise the kids.
The family law dynamic is changing as the years move along, and courts and struggling to keep up. Still, it is possible for mothers (and fathers) to face the challenges ahead – especially if they work with a skilled family law attorney who can guide them every step of the way. If you have questions or concerns about your child custody case, contact the Law Offices of Amar Weisman, LLC as soon as possible.
Call (410) 321-4994 For a Free Consultation
Call The Law Offices of Amar S. Weisman at (410) 321-4994 to schedule a Free Consultation. The Purpose of the consultation is to determine whether you want to retain this law firm as your Baltimore County & Harford County Family Lawyer. If you do wish to proceed, then you must pay a retainer. See Our Policy on Fees and Costs. The family firm is located next to The Circuit Court for Baltimore County, at 1018 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, MD 21204.
