Determining what "best interest" means for a child

For many separating Kentucky couples, the progression of divorce rarely follows a perfectly smooth and anticlimactic course. In fact, separation is often riddled with bitter disputes regarding everything from child custody to financial assets. For couples who have had children together, the process can be especially complicated. However, they must remember that the best interest of their children should be their utmost priority. 

According to the Huffington Post, parents can best facilitate a rewarding outcome for their children when they do their best to work together in reaching solutions that benefit every party. While it can be easy for separating parents to become embroiled in arguing their own wants and needs, their efforts to remain civil and realistic in reaching agreements can reduce the stress of their children while helping them to adjust to their new normal.

Courts look at a variety of aspects when determining what decisions are in the best interests of children. These include the following:

• The health of both parents and their children.
• The financial stability of each parent.
• The emotional state and history of each parent.
• The child's age and understanding of the situation.
• The history between both parents and any domestic disputes.
• The unique needs of each child.
• The preferences of each child. 

There are undoubtedly other factors that courts will take into consideration when reaching decisions regarding a child's care, legal guardianship and parental contact. According to a study by the American Psychological Association, of all of the marriages in the United States, roughly half of them end in divorce.