Parents in Knoxville who have divorced are then left with the decision of how to raise their child. Joint custody is an option that many people take, but sole custody could also be something to look into.
FindLaw has a number of benefits that sole custody can offer. For one thing, visitation rights are not affected by custody. The parent without custody can still see their child. The biggest benefit of one parent having sole custody is that they won’t have to discuss every big decision they make regarding their child’s education, healthcare, religion, and so on. As the person who holds legal custody, they can make every decision on their own without needing to involve the other parent.
On the other hand, CoParenting.com has a list of the cons of sole custody for you to look through. They state that it can be damaging to both the child and the parent, creating rifts in the relationship between the child and whoever doesn’t have sole custody. They won’t be as involved in the child’s life, and neither of them will have easy access to each other. Feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and other issues can be caused by one parent holding all of the custody rights. The other may feel like a visitor or intruder, and it can be harder for the child to develop their bond.
In the end, it must be decided on a case-by-case basis whether or not sole custody is the right option for a family. There are benefits and disadvantages to it as there are to any other option that might be considered.