Emotional stability is a must If you are one of those who have just realized the importance of emotional stability and would want to start it but you just don t know how, here are some of the things that can help you before you face a tiring child custody battle: - Re-assess yourself would be the first thing to do. If you are aiming for the best interests of your children and are doing it without any resentment and bitterness, the judge will take notice of and respect that. This kind of positive attitude will also give your children peace of mind, as they are spared from the tension and animosities between you and the other parent. Physical custody rights allow a parent to the child stay with him or her for good. Barring major disagreements in the wishes of each party, parents can easily determine their rights to custody of their children. However, when both parties cannot reach an agreement, mediation is necessary. Mediation refers to the process that involves intercession of an independent third party to aid parents in making decisions about their custody rights. The main reason is to simply avoid the high costs in court suits and protracted litigation. Parents should do well to negotiate a fair parenting agreement that should reflect the overall best interest of their child (or children). This can be done out of court or through alternative dispute resolution service such as a mediator. Smooth sailing child custody proceeding Parents who are into a battle for their children s custody should be ready head on to face the challenges of this unfaithful experience. They should also be ready to face all the challenges and difficulties to emerge as winners. Experts say that one important key in ensuring that any parent will be victorious in any child custody case is by being armed with as much information needed. Nowadays, some lawyers argue that a mother denying the unmarried father access to the child may not be in the best interest of the child. This position would require explanation, and could be used against the mother if the custody is disputed. An unmarried father would need to first establish his paternity (either by a signed voluntary declaration, or by filing a paternity action) before he can gain rights of access and responsibilities to his child or children.