Child Custody: Building Agreements That Work (2nd ed)

Rating:
Summary: very comprehensive; lots of resources; user-friendly!
Review: This is a self-help book for parents dealing with custody issues, which encompass residence, decisionmaking and child support. The book deals with more than 40 custody issues in a step-by-step fashion, utilizing worksheets and forms (for calculating child support, etc.) and is very comprehensive. State-to-state variations in pertinent law would require further research by the reader, as they are covered in only a sketchy way here. (However, the author provides guidance in doing the necessary research.) Nontraditional families (e.g., homosexual parents) and intercultural marriages are included and their situations given due respect and consideration. The material is presented in a readable and nontechnical style.The number and complexity of issues that must be dealt with in creating a parenting agreement would overwhelm most parents attempting to reach agreement on their own. The book's subtitle seems to imply that this is possible; however, the author does strongly recommend the assistance of a mediator, arbitrator, or lawyer in crafting a parenting agreement. The book is so user-friendly that some parents might be tempted to proceed without help from a third party, but it would take two very committed and patient people to navigate this process, using only this book. The best use of this guide would be to help parents who are working with a mediator to come to the process as prepared and as knowledgeable as possible, so they can participate intelligently in creating a parenting agreement, in spite of the painful and emotional situation they find themselves in. And, although not the target audience, mediators, lawyers, or other professionals assisting in parenting agreements can find sound advice and helpful suggestions here.