Whether you are a medical professional or a business owner, it is common for your work to be a significant priority and passion in your life. If you are also a parent, it can often be a challenge to strike the balance between the job that pays the bills and the job that fills your soul.
It can become even more challenging if you face a divorce and must establish a child custody agreement. You may wonder: will your work affect your child custody?
Short answer? It can
When determining a custody schedule, each parent’s work schedule can indeed affect the final arrangement. However, there are many other factors to consider when arranging custody in North Carolina, including:
- The child’s best interests, most importantly
- Which parent takes on more caretaking roles
- The location of each parent’s residence
- The safety of the child
The child’s best interests will take precedence in all custody matters. Therefore, if a hectic, demanding work schedule regularly draws you away from home, it could potentially be a larger factor in determining the custody schedule.
What can you do about this?
Even if your work is your passion, you have unconditional love for your children – and you do not want to lose any time with them. So, what are your options? You can:
- Readjust your work-life balance
- Speak with your manager, to adjust your work schedule
- Consider your custody schedule options
For example, perhaps a medical professional could renegotiate the times they are on-call at work, so they do not coincide with the days they would have the kids. It is true that your work schedule can impact the custody schedule. However, it is also within your power to make adjustments to meet the changing needs of your family and parental life.