Buying Multiple Sets Of Items For Your Children When You're Sharing Custody
Many divorcing parents agree to share custody of their children, giving them the ability to choose an arrangement that suits everyone. A common scenario is to have the kids stay with one parent for a week, and then the other parent for the following week, and continue this pattern. As you get acclimatized to this new way of life, you may be thinking about buying your children multiples of certain items. For example, instead of having to pack all of a child's clothing each week, it may make sense to just have a dresser of clothing at each parent's house. Here are some pros and cons of following through with this idea.
Pro: It Saves Time
When your children are getting ready to go to their other parent's house for the week, you may need to spend a considerable amount of time packing clean laundry, toys, sporting gear, and all sorts of other items. This is a routine that can be frustrating over time, especially when you consider the amount of time you're devoting to it. Multiple items at each house will save you this hassle.
Con: It Costs More
Children's items aren't cheap, and this is especially true as a child ages. If you're willing to buy multiples so that your children have what they need at each house, you're essentially doubling your expenses. If a child needs a new pair of $50 jeans, you'll spend $100 so that he or she has a pair of jeans at each residence.
Pro: It's Less Stressful For Your Kids
Custody situations have enough challenges for children, and the idea of always having to wonder where a favorite garment or toy might be located is stressful for a child. For example, a child may be excited to play with a certain board game upon getting home from school, and then realize that the board game is at the other parent's house. This feeling of frustration may cause him or her to gripe about the custody arrangement.
Con: The Kids May Feel Spoiled
Divorced parents need to be careful about not spoiling their kids. Often, parents can attempt to outdo the other parent in order to win favor, but this situation usually only causes turmoil. When you're constantly buying two of everything for each of your children, they can start to feel spoiled and sometimes begin to act out, which isn't what you want. It's worthwhile to discuss this idea with your attorney, as he or she likely can share some experience from dealing with other couples in your situation and guide you toward a solution that works.
For more information, contact a law office like Hart Law Offices, PC.