If you have children and have gone through a divorce, one of the things you should remember is that you may need to seek a custody modification in the future. A custody modification isn’t unusual, because as children grow and change, they often have different needs.
On top of that, parents may have their own situations change. One might remarry, or the other might get a promotion at work that changes their schedule. These changes could impact custody and require changes to the custody schedule.
When should you consider asking for a custody modification?
There are a few times when you should consider asking for a custody modification, such as when:
- You or the other parent has lost a job and may have an unstable living environment
- You or the other parent need to relocate
- You notice unusual behavior from the other parent
- The other parent is not reasonable or willing to cooperate
- Your child’s schedule has changed, which is making the current custody schedule difficult to maintain
- Your child has gotten older and asked to live in a different arrangement that you and the other parent agree upon
Custody modifications can’t happen too often, but when there are major life changes, it’s reasonable to seek them. Many parents find that they have to alter their custody schedule every few years, which is completely normal.
If your child’s custody schedule isn’t working well for your situation, it may be time to look into alternative schedules and to ask a judge to approve a new custody order. If you and the other parent agree, you can submit a modification request together. If not, then you may need to go to court.
