Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are two of the biggest stars in Hollywood, but their celebrity status has done nothing to protect them from an all too common issue that plagues many New York divorced couples: balancing their children’s time between their households. After Jolie and Pitt split, Jolie maintained custody of the pair’s six minor children, but recently a judge ruled that Pitt must be allowed greater access to and more time with the five youngest of their kids.
For the summer, the court ordered Pitt to spend more time with the children while Jolie worked overseas. His custodial time with the kids is to be monitored by psychologists and Jolie is not to be present during such periods of custody. The judge also ordered Jolie to provide Pitt with their children’s phone numbers so that he may contact them without their mother’s interference.
Children can benefit from staying close to both of their parents after their parents choose to end their martial relationships. Through its order, the judge involved in the Jolie-Pitt child custody case sought to protect the connections that Pitt had with his kids by giving them more time together and without the interference of Jolie.
The former couple’s oldest child was not included in the re-worked custody plan. In certain circumstances, older children are allowed the discretion of choosing where they wish to spend their time, and the eldest of Pitt and Jolie’s children was afforded this power of choice.
Child custody matters can get complicated, even after a divorcing couple thinks that it has worked out an acceptable plan. Changes may be necessary to accommodate the needs of the children and to preserve the important relationships that they have with both of their parents.