Everyone knows that going through a divorce is messy and stressful. Even the most amicable of situations can become difficult. One of the main reasons for this is custody. Although spouses may no longer love each other, they love their children and the thought of losing custody of their child can be earth shattering. This is why it is so important that people going through a divorce know how to protect their custody rights. Here are some things you can do.

1. Don't Leave The House Or Your Children

If you and your spouse have been fighting a lot you might be tempted to move out. You can do this, but only after you have a legal separation. Don't just move out on your own. The reason for this is that when you leave your give your spouse possession of the house. This means that they can prevent you from getting back on the property until the whole mess has been resolved. In addition, this may appear as though you have also abandoned the children. It may be very difficult to see them, which could look bad for you when it comes to custody. It may look as though you abandoned the kids because you didn't feel that their daily care was your responsibility. Thus, stay in the house until you have a legal separation agreement.

2. Find Adequate Housing and Good Work

After you have a legal separation it is important to find good housing that is suitable for children. If you are bunking with a friend on their couch, it will be hard to prove that you can care for your children. Instead, you should find a home that has enough bedrooms in the house for your children and that is close enough to their school so that can easily take them back and forth to their activities and classes.

In addition, having a good job will help your case. The judge will want to be sure that you cannot only care for their emotional needs, but their physical needs as well. If you are between jobs and it looks as though you have no security, they might award custody to the other parent until you can get a more stable income. This is why it is vital to find a good job, stick with it and provide a home where your children can stay.

By doing these two things you can improve your chances of getting custody. Talk to an attorney, like Healy and Svoren Attorneys at Law, for more help.