Shared vs. Residential Custody

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In most states, two kinds of custody apply to all separating families: legal and physical. Legal custody refers only to major decision-making, and physical custody refers to the parent with whom a child lives. A parent with sole physical custody is sometimes referred to as the residential or custodial parent; this is the parent with residential custody. When a child lives a relatively equal amount of time in each parent’s home, this is referred to as shared custody, also often called joint custody.

Residential Custody

“Residential custody” is another way of saying a parent has sole -- not shared or joint -- physical custody. The parent with whom the child lives most of the time is referred to as the custodial or residential parent. The non-custodial or non-residential parent, who does not have physical residential custody, has visitation with the child, which many states now call “parenting time.” This commonly means the child spends weekends or every other weekend with his non-residential or non-custodial parent and possibly one weeknight as well. However, the weeknight is not always an overnight visit. It might just be for dinner, with the child returning to his custodial parent’s home to sleep after dinner. According to Divorce Lawyer Source, courts name the mother as custodial or residential parent in seven out of every 10 custody arrangements.

Shared Custody

A shared physical custody arrangement is rarely exactly 50/50, with the child living an equal amount of time with each parent. However, it comes close. For example, in a shared physical custody arrangement, your child might live with you every week from Sunday through Wednesday and with his other parent Thursday through Saturday. Your child is with you four days a week and with his other parent three days a week, but each of you has one weekend day to enjoy when your child is not in school. Another common shared physical custody arrangement is for the child to spend alternate weeks with each parent. For example, he might live with his mother the first, third and fifth weeks of the month and with his father the second and fourth weeks of the month, extending throughout the year.

Shared Custody Considerations

A shared or joint custody arrangement works best if you and your child’s other parent maintain a reasonably amicable relationship. You’ll have a great deal of interaction as you exchange time with your child on a frequent basis. If you’ve moved on to a new relationship, this might threaten your new partner. Ideally, you should also both live in or near to your child’s school district. If you don’t, your child must wake extra early on school days, during times when he is with you, so he arrives at school on time.

Shared Custody Issues

Moving back and forth between homes on a regular basis can be hard on a child, especially during his teenage years. If one parent remains in the family home where the child grew up, he most likely has friends in that neighborhood. He might resent having to uproot himself and his life for half a week every week if his other parent lives a considerable distance away. Young children may feel confused by the weekly changes, not sure where their “real” home is. If the relationship between you and your child’s other parent is very contentious, and if you bicker every time you cross paths, shared custody can be very stressful for your child.