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. If it is proven, mothers has the right to ask for child support, medical and health insurance of the child, a share in the medical expenses during birth, and pay a portion of the mother s legal expenses. If the father fails in his obligations, the mother has the right to ask the court to terminate custody rights of the father. Here, you can get as much information that you need to help you gain better understanding on matters that will make or break a child s life. Aside from the Internet, you can also read a lot of parenting magazines where there are feature stories on legal issues that concerns any family such as child custody. Manage your schedule so that you won t have a hard time adjusting when your ex-spouse wants to switch weekdays or weekends to spend with your children. Now, if the court asks you why you deserve the custody of your children, you can confidently tell the judge that as a parent, you always make sure that your schedule works. You will need to fill out some forms from the courthouse. The forms can also be downloaded from the website of the city or county where you live. On the custody form, you will have to write your name and the name of the other parent, the location of your child since birth, and other important details. The child makes his or her wishes known to the court through a custody evaluator or child representative who is appointed by the court. As long as the child is at the right age to make an informed decision, the courts give substantial weight to the child s wishes regarding his or her custody. In many cases, the parent who wants to get custody of the child will raise an issue if the other parent is addicted to alcohol or drugs.