Guaranteeing a safe haven for our ‘bundles of joy’
Child custody is never easy on the parties involved
Child custody issues often occur in instances where parents either go through divorce or a break-up. It can also be considered when one of the parents sees it as the best option for both to share responsibilities and duties of raising a child.
Custody and guardianship of children comes with many duties. When the mother and father of a child decide to part ways, it is important for them to understand these duties and how they can be shared.
Deciding the child’s future
Linus Eliphas, a third-year law student, said whatever the circumstances surrounding a child’s custody case may be, it is safe to assume that none of it is easy on the parties involved, especially the child in question.
He added that in the Child Care and Protection Act’s Section 3 of 2015, during child custody matters, the mediating body handling the proceedings (judge, magistrate or any other person or body authorised to do so) analyses the life of the child to determine who the child should end up with.
He indicated that in deciding the future of the child, mediators are bound by the rules of the constitution, the Childcare Act, and all other relevant pieces of legislation that aim to guarantee and ensure the safety of the child. He also pointed out that when determining issues involving child custody, courts look at the decisions that will be in the best interest of the child.
Child custody proceedings and aftermath
Eliphas said divorce proceedings usually take a long time to resolve and cost a lot of money. This is one of the reasons parents end up raising their children in bad situations by putting assets under their names, in fear of losing them after the divorce proceedings are finalised.
He added that he experienced a child custody case with one of his cousins who had parents going through a divorce. During the proceedings, her marks dropped, and she would cry throughout classes.
Eliphas said that children, although not cognitively developed enough to read emotions, can tell when things aren’t right at home, and growing up in between houses can have negative consequences on their mental health. This may affect their ability to focus and make new friends and they can even find difficulty forming romantic relationships in their future due to what they had to witness and go through at a young age.
Straight from the horse’s mouth
Grasiana Anton indicated that she has been sharing custody with the father of her child for 10 years now. She separated from the father of her son immediately after he was born. However, she does not know the pain of single mothers as the father of her son did not abandon her. They both take it upon themselves to ensure a normal, happy and loving upbringing for their child.
Both parents take full responsibility for his well-being and make sure all his needs are catered for. They also do visits and host game nights where both families are involved so the child gets to familiarise himself with them.
“When we are out together, he always asks when we are going to give him a sibling. We tell him that even though we’re his parents, we are no longer involved in that type of relationship. We are just friends now,” she said.
Deciding the child’s future
Linus Eliphas, a third-year law student, said whatever the circumstances surrounding a child’s custody case may be, it is safe to assume that none of it is easy on the parties involved, especially the child in question.
He added that in the Child Care and Protection Act’s Section 3 of 2015, during child custody matters, the mediating body handling the proceedings (judge, magistrate or any other person or body authorised to do so) analyses the life of the child to determine who the child should end up with.
He indicated that in deciding the future of the child, mediators are bound by the rules of the constitution, the Childcare Act, and all other relevant pieces of legislation that aim to guarantee and ensure the safety of the child. He also pointed out that when determining issues involving child custody, courts look at the decisions that will be in the best interest of the child.
Child custody proceedings and aftermath
Eliphas said divorce proceedings usually take a long time to resolve and cost a lot of money. This is one of the reasons parents end up raising their children in bad situations by putting assets under their names, in fear of losing them after the divorce proceedings are finalised.
He added that he experienced a child custody case with one of his cousins who had parents going through a divorce. During the proceedings, her marks dropped, and she would cry throughout classes.
Eliphas said that children, although not cognitively developed enough to read emotions, can tell when things aren’t right at home, and growing up in between houses can have negative consequences on their mental health. This may affect their ability to focus and make new friends and they can even find difficulty forming romantic relationships in their future due to what they had to witness and go through at a young age.
Straight from the horse’s mouth
Grasiana Anton indicated that she has been sharing custody with the father of her child for 10 years now. She separated from the father of her son immediately after he was born. However, she does not know the pain of single mothers as the father of her son did not abandon her. They both take it upon themselves to ensure a normal, happy and loving upbringing for their child.
Both parents take full responsibility for his well-being and make sure all his needs are catered for. They also do visits and host game nights where both families are involved so the child gets to familiarise himself with them.
“When we are out together, he always asks when we are going to give him a sibling. We tell him that even though we’re his parents, we are no longer involved in that type of relationship. We are just friends now,” she said.
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