A physical custody case study where the parents’ situation requires flexibility.
Laura and Ted both work full-time as professionals. Each one can be required by his or her work to go out of town on weekends and both are subject to evening hours with clients or customers. Neither parent wanted to give up care of their two children aged eight and eleven and the children had made it quite clear that they wanted as much contact as possible with both their mom and dad. After much soul searching Laura and Ted decided that the only solution for them would to be to share the physical custody of their children approximately equally. In order to accomplish this it was decided that while Laura would remain in the marital home, Ted would rent a home only a half mile from the marital home. It was decided that the children would spend alternate weeks with each parent and still be able to attend the same school and keep contact with their friends.
Flexibility would be necessary so that on weekends or evening when one parent was required to be away, the other would be available to care for the children.
Laura and Ted entered into this agreement with some trepidation and for that reason made it clear that it was a trial which would last only as long as the children seemed happy. Approximately one year later they both felt that the kids had adjusted well and the situation was working for them. Laura and Ted also included in the agreement stating that if either parent felt the children were suffering by this arrangement, then a child psychologist or family counselor would be sought out who could help them decide how best to deal with the situation.