Family dynamics frequently change, sometimes especially if parents live separately. After a divorce or separation, parents have to work out schedules for shared custody. In some cases, one parent may have less time with the children than the other.
Factors including demanding careers, strained relationships and the distance between the parental households can influence the parenting schedule. The parent who has less time with the children may look forward to their parenting sessions, only to learn that their teenagers don’t want to spend time with them. The other parent might even cancel a parenting session or scheduled visitation while blaming that decision on a young adult.
Can teenagers refuse to comply with the custody arrangements the courts have established because of their personal preferences?
Teenagers don’t control custody matters
Young adults do not yet have fully matured brains. They depend on their parents to guide them as they navigate the world. Parents who share custody divide more than just parenting time. They usually also share the authority to make decisions about their young adults. They have a responsibility to act in their children’s best interests, which typically means that they should uphold the terms of a shared custody arrangement.
If a young adult has recently expressed an aversion to spending time with one of their parents, they usually still have an obligation to follow the custody order imposed by the courts. The other parent has a responsibility to encourage the children to comply with the custody order. Parents typically need to utilize their legal authority to demand compliance from their children in scenarios where they disagree with the current parenting schedule.
If a parent uses a teenager’s emotional reactions as an excuse for non-compliance, the other parent may need to consider requesting enforcement actions from the family courts or seeking to modify the custody order based on the non-compliance of the other parent. Ideally, parents work together even during times when one of them may experience a downturn in their relationship with the children.
Understanding the rules that govern shared custody arrangements can help parents navigate disputes related to teenagers. Young adults generally do not have the legal authority to make major decisions on their own behalf, and parents are generally expected (by the courts) to teach them about responsibility and conforming to the rules.
