A physical custody case study where the parents chose shared custody.
Matt and Sarah had been separated for several months before starting work on their divorce agreement. Matt was living at his mother’s house while Sarah was at home with the kids. The children, two boys aged eleven and fourteen, said very often they really missed being with their father. At the same time, it was very clear that the children needed a great deal of contact with their mother. Matt worked a full-time job while Sarah was not employed outside of the home.
The solution for this family was that the children remain in the marital home with Sarah during the week. Remember Matt lived with his parents. On weekends Matt moved back into the house to stay with the children and Sarah left. Both parents realized that this solution would be short term. It was agreed that if it became unworkable because of difficulties with the living accommodations or one of them became involved with a new significant other, then the physical sharing would have to be renegotiated.