There are many misconceptions that people may have about noncustodial parents in California and throughout America. For instance, they may believe that a noncustodial parent gave up his or her rights voluntarily. However, the truth is that a custody ruling is based on what is best for the children, and in some cases, parents realize that what is best for their children is to live elsewhere.
Therefore, it can actually be a good thing for a parent to volunteer to give up physical or legal custody. Another common myth is that noncustodial parents don’t pay child support or have an active role in their children’s lives. The truth is that most parents pay some or all the support that they owe. Furthermore, they generally have visitation rights to a child and play an active role in raising their sons and daughters.
Noncustodial parents who have their children overnight or for an extended period of time should be considered single parents. This means that others should recognize their struggles and the sacrifices made in the pursuit of raising their children. Finally, it is merely a myth that all custodial parents are women. It is possible for a father to be a child’s custodial parent if he is the one best suited to fulfill that role. Ideally, both parents will share custody.
A parent who has questions about his or her legal rights to a child after a divorce may want to speak with a family law professional. The same may be true if there are issues with a parenting plan, or a parent wants to seek additional rights to his or her son or daughter. If a former couple is on good terms with each other, child custody problems could be resolved by having private talks.