When it comes to child custody situations, some people may not be familiar with the term, right of first refusal. Family law in British Columbia spells out the rules when it comes to issues regarding children. If one parent can’t care for a child for a specific time, he or she may choose to use the services of a babysitter, rather than call on the other parent. Right of first refusal means the other parent is seeking the right to choose to care for his or her children instead of entrusting them to the care of a sitter.
In contentious child custody circumstances some parents pit their children against each other. There are times when that can mean one parent keeping a child from the other parent. When a parent allows grandparents to care for a child or lets the child sleep over a friend’s house rather than call on the other parent to care for the child, it can escalate into a heated debate.
When parents fight over the right of first refusal, it puts children in the middle of the fire. It could cause children to become secretive — keeping things from their parents, and it could also wreak havoc on a child’s self-esteem. Experts say parents need to get over their own egos in these types of situations for the sakes of their children.
There may be some terms regarding children and custody with which British Columbia parents aren’t aware, such as right of first refusal. A family law lawyer may be the person who can explain these terms and how they might affect a client’s particular situation. It’s best to have some knowledge of the things that could affect children whose parents are going through a divorce or separation.