What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio (Hamilton County)
I will give my question first, then a brief history...
What is the purpose of a shared parenting agreement as opposed to a parent being named as the Primary/Residential parent?
My husband basically just decided he didn't want to be married anymore. He admitted to having "emotional affairs" with women on the internet, claiming to have had no physical contact, but he continued to lie about his online behavior. He was a decent husband, and an ok father. I have been a stay-at-home-mom (by agreement) for 6 years (and worked part-time for 3 years before that). He had no interest in doing anything with or for our kids ever. Family time was punishment in his book and while never abusive, he had no patience for them and didn't work too hard to hide it.
Anyway, I am now having to go back to school, back to work and continue to take care of the three children - if I had to measure it I'd say 90-95% of the time - and he wants to do "shared parenting". I don't care about the financial aspect of it - I know his family and am confident that I would be taken care of if he were to be a dead-beat. I am more concerned with the legal aspects - I have been their primary caregiver, as well as the sole decision maker about pretty much everything as far as the kids go - we haven't even filed paperwork yet (his lawyer drew some up though) and already he can't keep up with the little time he has with them. He wanted them every-other weekend, but always schedules something so that they are still with me some, if not all, of his weekends.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I will give my question first, then a brief history...
What is the purpose of a shared parenting agreement as opposed to a parent being named as the Primary/Residential parent?
My husband basically just decided he didn't want to be married anymore. He admitted to having "emotional affairs" with women on the internet, claiming to have had no physical contact, but he continued to lie about his online behavior. He was a decent husband, and an ok father. I have been a stay-at-home-mom (by agreement) for 6 years (and worked part-time for 3 years before that). He had no interest in doing anything with or for our kids ever. Family time was punishment in his book and while never abusive, he had no patience for them and didn't work too hard to hide it.
Anyway, I am now having to go back to school, back to work and continue to take care of the three children - if I had to measure it I'd say 90-95% of the time - and he wants to do "shared parenting". I don't care about the financial aspect of it - I know his family and am confident that I would be taken care of if he were to be a dead-beat. I am more concerned with the legal aspects - I have been their primary caregiver, as well as the sole decision maker about pretty much everything as far as the kids go - we haven't even filed paperwork yet (his lawyer drew some up though) and already he can't keep up with the little time he has with them. He wanted them every-other weekend, but always schedules something so that they are still with me some, if not all, of his weekends.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.