(ThySistas.com) The breakdown of a marriage is always a difficult situation but it’s so much harder if there are children involved. In some cases, you might both agree on who should have custody of the children but if both parents believe that they should have custody, things get more difficult. In most cases, you’ll end up having a custody hearing, which is incredibly difficult for everybody involved. Your priority will be winning the case but at the same time, you don’t want to hurt anybody else that is involved, especially the children. If you are entering a custody battle in the near future, it’s important that you remember these things.
The Children Always Come First
This is absolutely the most important thing because, in these situations, people will sometimes try to involve the children in a way that helps them to win the case. For example, they may tell them things about the other parent in an attempt to turn them against them so they can 
increase their chances of winning custody. But if you start involving your children in these situations, it can seriously damage them and ruin their relationship with one or both parents. Your priority should always be protecting the children after a divorce and you should try to keep them out of it as much as possible. Don’t use them to score points and improve your chances of winning custody because you will only hurt them. Always make sure that they know that the breakup of the marriage has nothing to do with them and it doesn’t change either parent’s opinion of them.
Dress Appropriately
A lot of people don’t really consider this because they have other things on their mind but your appearance does make an impression on people and it may affect the outcome of the hearing if you don’t dress appropriately. You need to think about what to wear to court ahead of time and make sure that you wear something smart and presentable. If you don’t make an effort with your appearance, the judge will assume something about your character and they may think that you’re as careless in other aspects of your life, which doesn’t do you any favors when you’re trying to convince them that you’re a responsible parent.
Be Willing To Compromise
The important thing here is that you do what is best for the children and you try to remain civil as much as possible. If you don’t remain civil, the whole thing will end very badly and you’ll struggle to maintain a good relationship with one another for the sake of the children. That’s why it’s so important that you are willing to compromise with one another throughout the process. It’s not realistic to think that you’re going to get everything that you want. As long as the children are happy and you do what is best for them, that is all that matters.
Dealing with a custody hearing is always going to be tough but as long as you keep these things in mind you should be fine.
Staff Writer; Lisa Jones