Dads often feel like they get the short stick in any child custody disputes. Certainly, this has been the case for generations, meaning most fathers are resigned to losing custody of their kids in a divorce. More than that, there are other ideas and beliefs that fathers have about child custody. 

But, did you know that a lot of these beliefs are based on myths? It’s true, there are loads of child custody myths we’ve been led to believe for years. The problem with believing these myths is that we don’t always fight for our rights because we don’t think things will go our way. With that in mind, here are three child custody myths every dad should know: 

Myth 1: The mother always gets custody

It’s very easy to see why this myth is believable as mothers do tend to get custody more than men. However, there is technically no preference in a lot of states across the country. These days, most courts will take a neutral stance and dictate custody based on what’s best for the child. As noted by State 48 Family Law Firm, there’s a long process that determines who gets custody of a child these days. It’s based on different factors, such as how much time you currently spend with the child, who the child is more dependent on, and how well you’re able to financially provide for the child. When both cases are presented, the court will decide on which parent is the better choice.

Myth 2: Only dads pay child support

Again, this is a myth that stems from the first myth. Because dads are commonly the ones that don’t have custody of their children, they pay child support every month. It’s extremely rare that you ever hear about a mother making child support payments, even if the father has sole custody of the kids. 

In reality, child support law dictates that all parents are required to support their children financially. This means that someone without custody will have to pay child support to the other parent. So, for any single dads out there, you may be due a backlog of child support payments from your other half. 

Myth 3: The parent with custody can dictate visitation rights

I feel like lots of dads out there have been in a situation like this. Your ex has the kids and they dictate when you can or can’t visit your children. Sometimes, they withhold visitation rights for different reasons - like a missed child support payment. There’s this misconception that the parent with custody can make up the rules regarding visits.

This is a complete myth! Your visitation rights are decided when custody is handed out and neither parent can change them. If you’re being denied access to your kids when it’s your turn to see them, you can actually take legal action against the other parent. 

Hopefully, this has cleared up a few common myths surrounding child custody for dads. In short, you do have a genuine chance of winning custody, and you may also be entitled to child support. Likewise, your ex-partner can’t dictate when you see your child, so don’t let them stop you from spending time with your kid.