Saint Paul Family Law Blog

Couples in Minnesota who are separated or divorced but share children together know how challenging it can be to coparent under normal circumstances. When the holiday season rolls around, the challenges can increase. However, this time of year offers great benefits to those moms and dads who are willing to engage in active coparenting. 

As explained by Psychology Today, one important thing for parents to work on is how they will share or split time with their joint children throughout the holiday season. It is equally important that they not focus solely on splitting time, however. There are numerous traditions that they may need to share as well. For example, one parent might take the kids caroling and the other takes them to see Santa Claus at the local mall. When it comes to time and traditions, allowing children to have input can be appropriate based on their ages but parents should not put the onus on children to make the final decisions. 

As a Minnesota father who is no longer romantically involved with the mother of your child, you may find that the demise of your romantic relationship has made it more difficult to regularly engage with your son or daughter. Despite the difficulty, however, maintaining an active presence in your child’s life can have a considerable and positive effect on his or her development, growth and happiness. Therefore, it is important that you work to break down the barriers that are preventing you and your child from spending time together. At Huson Law Firm, PLLC, we recognize the critical role fathers play in their children’s lives, and we have helped many fathers looking to spend more time with their kids pursue solutions that meet their needs.

According to Parenting, your active presence in your son or daughter’s life has the capacity to affect everything from his or her performance in school to his or her future romantic relationships. Additionally, the time you spend with your child does not have to include big trips or considerable expenses to make a difference – on the contrary, simple day-to-day activities, such as taking walks or eating meals together, may have the biggest impact on your child’s growth and development.

Single and divorced fathers across Minnesota know that financial independence is important to giving their children a good life, and one of the ways to achieve it is to complete a college education or earn a degree in a profession that they can succeed in. However, a solid education costs money, and many fathers are financially strapped. A good scholarship could provide the answer, but they are not easy to find, not unless you know where to look.

U.S. News and World Report provides some tips for fathers looking for educational opportunities. One of the ways is to seek scholarships that are connected to whatever you want to study. If you are interested in the biological sciences, there are scholarships offered for just that field. The same is true for any industry whether it be astronomy, engineering, math, technology, or a medical profession.

One of the things you've probably been told by at least one person is that there is a bias against fathers in court. The reality is that there may have been a bias in the past, but parents are equal in the eyes of the court today. The perception used to be that fathers worked and mothers stayed home, so it would be better to keep children with their mothers. Essentially, this wouldn't disturb the status quo.

However, as times have changed, so have gender roles. With more men staying home with children and both parents being likely to have jobs and share responsibilities, it makes sense to treat both mothers and fathers fairly in court. After all, both parents played a role in creating this child or raising this child, so there shouldn't be an automatic bias in favor of one over the other.