DAILY CUSTODY TIP: Introduce Children to the Library

It may seem old-fashioned in these days of Googling and downloading books online, but it is still a good idea to introduce your children to the library. Showing your kids how the local library works can be a useful strategy in a contested child custody case. In the family court, the question of custody and visitation rights is based on what’s in the best interests of the child. The "best interest" includes many different considerations, including the best educational and cultural interests of the child. One way to demonstrate your commitment to the child’s educational and cultural development is to introduce him or her to the pleasures of reading, and to the inner workings of the library system.

Going to the library with your kids serves many positive purposes. For one thing, it’s a field trip – that is, something you can do together out of the house. It’s a place to expose them to the wealth of library services: how some people study there, how others browse for new books to read; how others conduct research, and still others simply relax with a magazine or newspaper. It teaches children the rules of library conduct (no talking out loud!), and encourages them to get to know their local librarian. In many community libraries, children may obtain their own library cards-- a source of pride that may draw them back to the bookshelves many times in the years to come.

In court, a parent who has made the library trip with a child has one more valuable credit in her quest to obtain or retain custody rights. A non-custodial parent who introduces the child to the library can truly demonstrate his smart investment of visitation time with the child and his enduring commitment to the child’s personal development. When children are interviewed by a counselor, a court-appointed guardian or a judge, they are often asked what kinds of things they do when they visit with their mothers or fathers. "We go to the library" is a great answer and a genuine reflection on the parent who’s looking out for the child’s best interests.