Like any Utah parent, your children mean the world to you. As you go through a divorce, you may worry about how the situation will impact your children and what hoops you may have to jump through when it comes to making child custody decisions. If you and the other parent can still get along amicably, the decision-making process may not present too many difficulties. However, if the court will have more of a say in the matter, you may have concerns about possible outcomes.
As the custody process moves forward, you may face a custody evaluation. This type of situation may seem intimidating as an outside party will critique your parenting ability. Because all parents have moments of doubt when it comes to raising their kids, you may feel anxious about the evaluation. You may feel less stressed if you take the time to prepare, and the following tips may prove useful.
Remain truthful
During times of criticism, many people often try to paint a situation in a better light. You may feel the need to take such action during a custody evaluation in hopes of making your parenting seem perfect. However, evaluators can often detect when a person has not told the truth, and if the evaluator suspects you of lying, the dishonesty could work against you.
Ask questions
The evaluation will focus on your parenting situation and your relationship with your children. However, that does not mean that you will face a one-sided interrogation. You can prepare for your evaluation meetings by writing down questions you may have for the evaluator regarding the process and your circumstances. This step could help you remain focused and feel less anxious.
Focus on the kids
As mentioned, the purpose of the custody evaluation is to assess your relationship with your kids. Therefore, during the evaluation, you may want to refrain from bringing up marital or divorce issues. Rather than criticizing your ex for relationship or parenting faults, you may want to remain focused on your personal relationship with the kids.
Gain reliable advice
Because custody evaluations could have a considerable impact on the outcome of custody proceedings, you certainly want to feel prepared for your meetings. In order to gain reliable advice on how to handle evaluations, you may wish to consult with your legal counsel. An attorney could provide advice on how to approach your meetings as well as insight on what to expect.
Subscribe To This Blog’s Feed