If you currently share custody of your child with your former spouse, you may wonder how you can keep things calm. In some cases, you may not realize that keeping things copacetic could involve going to court. If you are about to be awarded shared custody or are seeking it in court, knowing how to keep your situation calm is important.

Don't Ask a Child to Choose

One of the first things you need to know when you are a divorced parent is that you should never ask a child to choose between parents. A child may express an opinion, but it is important that you never come in and ask the child to choose between you and the other parent. If your child does express an independent opinion, you may bring it to your child custody lawyer.

Don't Make a Child Feel Guilty

If a child expresses happiness about seeing their other parent, it is very important that you do not make them feel guilty. Statements you make can be used against you in custody court.

Do Focus on Your Child's Needs

The best thing you can do for your custody case is to pay attention to your child's needs. If your child expresses a need to spend more time with their other parent or if your child seems to be benefiting from staying more at your home, it may be beneficial to speak with your attorney about adjusting shared custody.

Do Clearly Communicate When Possible

If you are able to communicate with your ex in a clear and calm manner, you can go far. When communication fails, however, you may turn to an attorney to handle communications. When communication goes through your attorney, you may be able to settle disputes without going to court, especially if you consider mediation.

Don't Try to Do This Alone

Fighting for shared custody is always difficult, even time-consuming. When you are unsure of how to proceed, you need to take careful action. You can do this by hiring an attorney who understands your needs and how to represent them in court.

Speak With a Child Custody Lawyer

A child custody lawyer provides you with the information you need to keep your child custody situation comfortable. If something does happen, you should speak with your child custody attorney to determine if you can make some serious changes based on issues you've noticed with shared custody.