Like any other Knoxville parent, you surely want the best for your kid. But how is something like that even determined? How can you be sure that your child is getting the best they can possibly get and going down a road that will allow them to flourish, even after your divorce?
This is where the best interests of a child come into play. According to Psychology Today, a child’s best interest is a primary consideration when the court is making divorce-related decisions. Everything from whether or not you will be allowed to relocate with them, to who gets primary custody, to the visitation schedule are all decided based on whether or not the court believes that it will benefit the child most in the long run.
So how is something like this determined? Through a series of careful examinations, court rulings, and the child’s own opinion. Your child’s happiness, health, well-being and overall number of opportunities are going to be the first things that a judge considers. They will take family history into consideration, as well as the economic, social and scholastic opportunities that your child’s prospective place(s) of residence might offer. What your child wishes for themselves will often be taken into account as well, especially if they are older and more capable of making their own decisions.
It can be a stressful situation for any parent. However, the courts simply strive for the same thing you do: to give your child the most opportunities and the best possible life after a divorce occurs.