While fathers can arguably be just as close to their children as mothers, there is still a prevailing idea in society that moms have a special bond with their children—perhaps as far as interpersonal relationships go, it’s hard to imagine anything closer.
Does a “mom privilege” exist as far as the law is concerned? While every situation is different, the simple answer is no.
The following are some common myths that both moms and dads mistakenly believe exist.
Myth #1: Moms Can Decide When To Move And Where The Kids Go To School
In nearly every joint custody or visitation situation, no individual parent can decide unilaterally when and where to move. Related to this, they also can’t unilaterally decide which school the child should attend.
Moving is one of the biggest issues, as it can impact the ability of the other parent to visit their own child. In fact, taking the child to move with you to another location may even be considered a criminal matter if it violates your joint custody or visitation agreement.
Of course, moving almost always means changing schools too, and the choice of what kind of education the child receives is still a decision both parents have to make together.
Myth #2: Moms Are In Charge Of Health Care And Medical Treatment Decisions
Though instinctively many moms feel this is their decision to make, the other parent still has to be taken into consideration. This can be a sticky situation, as there are a lot of medical situations where there can be disagreement on how to treat a child. Do they need surgery or alternative treatment? Which doctor do you prefer? Is there a religious objection to certain treatment options?
Whatever the decision, it must be made by both parents in most cases.
Myth #3: Moms Can Decide A Child Cannot Have A Relationship With The Ex’s New Significant Other
This is a tough one, as it might be a hard pill to swallow to see your child have a friendship with your ex’s new significant other. If this relationship is related to infidelity while you were still married, it may be even tougher.
Regardless of the emotional difficulty, it is not one parent’s decision to make in the eyes of the law.
Myth #4: Moms Can Decide The Visitation Schedule And The Amount Of Money Needed To Raise The Child
Bottom line, visitation arrangements and how much is required for child support is the court’s decision, not the mother’s. A mother is always free to ask the other parent for extra funds needed to raise the child, but the other parent is also always free to say yes or no.
Similarly, if both sides can come to a compromise on visitation, then that is a private matter. If not, the court needs to get involved.
Want To Know Your Options Concerning Visitation And Custody?
Contact Park Family Law if you want to know more about your options concerning visitation and custody. Whether you need an experienced mediator to amicably and efficiently settle your case or an aggressive litigator to get you the best result in court, Park Family Law can assist you every step of the way.