Custody Arrangements in Blended Families

Blended families offer a number of benefits and challenges for all involved. On the one hand, the combination of families can be a very positive experience for both the parents and the children. On the other hand, there may be two different custody situations to navigate, and the co-parents may or may not be cooperative in facilitating the children’s time with their new blended family. Like everything else in a custody case, the standard of the best interests of the child would control how the court may decide if there is litigation. Always get help from a family law attorney for custody matters involving blended families.

To be clear, a stepparent does not have a legal right to custody or time with a child. They are not legally entitled to make decisions regarding the child, although they may assist their partner by giving their advice and opinion about key decisions. However, it is a parent who has custodial rights and the ability to participate in the decision-making process.

The Challenges Introduced by Blended Families

Blended families can introduce a number of challenges to the custody process. A parent may want to have their child at the same time that their new partner has visitation or custody time with their own children. This aim may not fit into the existing custody schedule that is part of the court order. A parent may try to seek a modification to the custody schedule to accommodate their blended family, although it is not a guarantee that a court would agree with them. A judge may consider the disruption to the life of the child through a change in the schedule and weigh it against the interest in them being able to participate in the blended family.

A parent may also need to file for a modification to the custody order if they need to relocate for their new parents. There may be challenges when that parent has physical custody when it would threaten the other parent’s visitation schedule. Here, there is no hard and fast rule, other than the fact that the court would consider the best interests of the child when it decides both whether to allow the relocation and how and when the child may see the other parent.

There may be other custody issues that need to be addressed when a parent remarries. For example, a stepparent may be involved in pick-ups and drop-offs, and they may even need to discipline the child. There could be problems with new step-siblings, especially when a child does not get along with them and has trouble adjusting. Some of these issues can be addressed in a parenting plan.

The Children’s Best Interests Must Be Considered

A blended family could be a challenge for a child to adjust to, especially when they have already been through their parents getting a divorce. Parents should do everything that they can to reduce the stress on the children. The best thing that parents can do is to work out a parenting plan that allows for the child to spend time with both parents in their new family situation, if the situation permits it.

Although one parent may feel slighted and threatened that their child has a stepparent and step-siblings, they should put it aside to the fullest extent possible if it is in the best interests of their child. Both parents should hopefully be able to work together to come up with a situation that meets the child’s best interests and not their own. If there is a conflict that cannot be resolved, the court would need to weigh the best interests of the child at the conclusion of a hearing.

Contact the Red Bank Divorce Lawyers at Sanvenero & Cittadino Attorneys at Law Today for Help with Your Family Matters

The Red Bank divorce lawyers at Sanvenero & Cittadino Attorneys at Law can assist you in any custody matters related to a divorce and the period afterward. You can schedule a free initial consultation with one of our family law attorneys by calling us today at 732-743-9665 or submitting our online form. Our office is located in Red Bank, New Jersey, and we serve clients in Monmouth County, Middlesex County, and Ocean County.