One of the unfortunate effects of divorce is that you and the other parent now have to figure out how to be a single parent. If you have a demanding job, you may need to rethink things so that you have time to spend with your children.
If you spend too much time at work and not enough with your kids, it could lead to legal issues. Your former spouse could make claims that you are not trying to have a relationship with your children. To avoid such a situation, Forbes suggests that you find a way to balance work and custody responsibilities that allows you to be present in your children’s lives.
Talk with your employer
Ideally, your employer will be open to accommodating your new single-parent status. Explain what is going on and what changes could help you be able to gain more time with your children. If your employer refuses to adjust your schedule or help you, then it may be time to find a new job at a company that is more family-friendly.
Make plans
You may need some help if you want to share custody of your children. You have to work, but you also need to be sure your children have proper care. It may require you to hire someone to help you out. For example, your children get home from school a few hours before you get home from work. Does this mean you cannot have your children on weekdays? No. Instead of giving up because you will not be home, hire a nanny.
Know what you can do
When you are working out a custody agreement, you need to be reasonable. Focus on what is best for your children and not what you want. If you want to be able to have them on weekdays, then you will need to be able to get them to school. If you cannot commit to that, then you may need to relinquish that to the other parent. Do not agree to do things that you know you cannot do. It will only hurt your children in the end.