After the dust settles on your divorce and custody agreement, you may find that the specifics of your arrangement simply do not work. In many cases, the circumstances that surround you while you negotiate your custody arrangement are not the circumstances that you continue to live under indefinitely, and when your circumstances change significantly, it is always wise to look at your custody arrangement to see if a modification is best for you and the child that you love.
If you need a modification, it is important to work for it though the proper channels and processes. The courts do not generally take a kind view of those who disobey a custody agreement simply because it is inconvenient, and even if you think that you and your child’s other parent have an unofficial agreement that circumvents your custody arrangement, this may come back to haunt you if he or she documents you deviating from the plan.
It is much wiser and effective to petition the court for a modification. In order to receive a modification, you must present compelling reasons why the modification is necessary, as well as demonstrate that you are making proper efforts to meet your obligations in the meantime. Do not stop paying you support or providing for your child’s needs while you wait for the modification, if at all possible. This is likely to send the wrong message tot the court and may prevent you fro receiving the modification that you need.
Modifications are not always simple to obtain, but they are well worth the effort. Make sure to protect your own interests and the wellbeing of your child by playing by the rules and working within the system to effect the changes you need while protecting your rights and priorities as a parent.