Every parent has had a standoff with a tantrum-throwing child at some point in time. Rarely is it a good idea to give in to the child’s demands and reinforce his or her negative behavior. When you are in middle of a child custody battle in Los Angeles, however, you may want to pick your battles carefully. Every parenting decision you make will be scrutinized by your ex and the court.
A case in New York that made national headlines is a prime example of this. The father felt that his 4-year-old son had been eating too much junk food and would not take the boy to McDonald’s on during his visit. He gave his son other dinner options instead—all of which the child stubbornly refused. When the boy went back to his mother, he complained of being hungry and told her his dad wouldn’t take him to McDonalds; she immediately took him there. Now the father’s actions are being used against him in the custody battle. At the mother’s request, the incident was investigated and a psychiatrist suggested that the father was not capable of properly caring for his child, recommending that the judge reduce or eliminate the father’s visitation rights. These comments led the father to sue the psychiatrist for defamation of character.
Even separations that begin amicably can quickly turn ugly when it comes to child custody issues. A disgruntled spouse can twist the facts to use anything they possibly can as ammunition. Still, it is important to keep your parenting as consistent as possible for the sake of the child and hire an attorney to handle the complications that arise during a child custody dispute.