As a father, you might be worried that your custody case is already predetermined in favor of the other parent. Gender stereotypes often do paint mothers as more caring and nurturing than fathers.
However, every parent is equal under the law, and gender has nothing to do with custody decisions. What, then, does matter when deciding custody?
The children always come first
The law in Texas is very clear on this: Neither the sex nor marital status of either parent is a defining factor in custody cases. Instead, the children’s welfare and their best interests overarch everything else.
Some of the factors that will weigh in on your custody proceedings include:
- The child’s age
- Any history of abuse perpetrated by either parent
- Your parenting skills and ability to provide for the child
- Whether the child has any special needs and if the parent can handle them, among others
In most cases, both parents will share custody of the children unless circumstances do not allow it. For instance, a parent may have limited or no access to the children due to a pattern of domestic violence or abuse.
Custody orders are enforceable and can be modified
If your co-parent prevents you from seeing the children against the custody orders, you can ask the court to intervene and safeguard your parental rights. Similarly, should circumstances change on your co-parent’s side, it is possible to petition the court to relook at the custodial arrangement and determine whether it is still viable.
You do not have to worry about losing a custody case simply because of your gender. Besides, you can still cement your place in your children’s lives by making the most of the time with them as the non-custodial parent.