When couples separate, mothers, have custody of their children in most cases. While this is the case, you should note that it’s possible for you, the father, to have custody of your children, if you want to.

Wondering how to get full custody as a father? Here is how to go about it:

Apply for custody and lawyer up

One of the reasons most fathers don’t get full custody is because they don’t apply for it. So the first step to having your kids is applying for full custody. This calls for you to find the best divorce lawyers and start the process.

It’s recommended you, lawyer, up as early as possible, but this doesn’t mean that you should be in a hurry to hire an attorney. Instead, take your time to research and interview several attorneys before settling on the one that you feel has your best interests at heart.

Step up your dad game

There is no way the court will grant you full custody if you don’t show that you can take care of your kids full time. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways you can go about it.

Some of the things you can do to make this possible are to be responsible and begin tending to the child’s medical, educational and extracurricular needs.

If the kids live with their mother or relatives, begin showing up to important occasions such as graduation ceremonies and others.

Document your parenting

When you attend your kids’ swimming classes, buy them clothes or do anything for them, don’t just do it because it’s your responsibility and go on with your life. To increase your chances of winning child custody, document your activities.

When you attend swimming classes, take photos with your kid and put them in a safe place. The same applies when you buy a school uniform, pay for school, and any other task—you should keep the receipts.

The purpose of doing this is to show that you are an involved parent, and since courts are based on proof, when you have the photos and receipts, you have proof that you are an engaged parent and you aren’t afraid of taking responsibility.

Choose credible witnesses

Besides the receipts and photos, it’s always wise to have someone speak on your behalf and testify to your parenting prowess and commitment to your kids. As you can guess, when you have a genuine and credible person do this, you significantly increase your chances of winning full custody.

When choosing a witness to take the stand, be cautious whom you choose. As a rule of thumb, don’t bring your drunk best friend as their testimony won’t hold much water in court.

A credible witness you can go with is a PTA president. If you volunteer in your kid’s school as a basketball coach, have the school principal come to court and vouch for you.

If you aren’t sure about the right witness to pick, get the input of your divorce lawyers Fairfax VA.

Parting shot

Fathers can get full custody of their children, but they need to be strategic about how they go about it. Some people try to win the case by trash-talking their former spouses but don’t do this as it gives you a bad image which significantly reduces your chances of winning custody.

Even if you no longer like your former spouse, don’t talk badly about them. Be respectful and only talk about their good side.