Sole legal custody means that you have the right to make decisions about your child’s care without consulting their other parent or guardian. This post discusses the pros and cons of this type of child custody arrangement in California to help you decide for yourself if it is right for you.
The advantages
Because you’re the primary caregiver if you have sole custody, your main source of friction will be your child themselves. When the child’s other parent is out of the picture, you don’t have to worry about conflicting views on parenting. You can still consult childcare experts, friends, and family, but the decision lies with you at the end of the day.
It can make things simpler for your child, too; for example, they don’t have to worry about one parent telling them to ask the other parent for permission to go to a friend’s house.
The disadvantages
One big downside of this type of child custody is that it may be harder on your child if they are not used to it. Maybe they were used to consulting both parents on important decisions, or they have a closer relationship with one than the other.
As the sole custodian, you are responsible for all aspects of raising your child, including food, shelter, clothes and education. That means that if you are out of work, your child will suffer. Also, this arrangement can be tough for some people if they lack enough knowledge regarding a child’s needs and desires, as well as other factors, like finances.
Another disadvantage is that it may be harder to maintain a child’s relationship with the other parent if they have sole legal custody. This is because as their only caretaker, you handle all aspects of raising them and repairing any relationship issues, which can lead to resentment on your child’s part.
Sole legal child custody has many pros and cons. However, it’s important to consider what is best for your child in the long term when making a decision of this magnitude.