In the middle of a particularly nasty divorce, issues can be brought up that will only fuel the fire. Spouses may bring up past mistakes and frustration, believing that it will help their own case. But in the midst of the accusations, children are often the ones who suffer the most.
Divorce proceedings are often accompanied by child custody hearings in order to determine which parent will have custody over the kids. These hearings can also become bitter disputes, especially if the parents are fighting for sole custody. Recently basketball star Dwyane Wade and his now ex-wife reached the end of their trial as both fight for sole custody of their two young boys.
The couple originally separated in 2007 and was legally divorced last summer. When the two split, the children went with their mother. Since then, the child custody battle only escalated as both Wade and his ex-wife constantly sued and counter sued one another.
During the custody trial itself, the allegations flowed freely from both sides. Wade's ex-wife was accused of having psychiatric problems, including anger and manipulation. She is also alleged to have alienated the two boys from their father and have used them to punish Wade for divorcing her.
In response, Wade's ex-wife alleges that he is only trying to get back at her by getting sole custody of their children. According to her, he has never really shown an interest in raising the boys until now and that if he were to have sole custody, would not have time to take care of them due to his schedule.
Stepping back from the situation, it seems that Wade and his ex-wife are using the custody battle as a way to get back at each other. But the judge during the closing statements remarked that the children suffer the most as a result of being caught in the middle of their parents' dispute.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times online, "Only truth in Wade custody case: Boys the real victims," Maudlyne Ihejirika, 22 January 2011
Comments: 2
2 Comments
RobleyBlake
February 1, 2011 at 10:53 PM
Divorce can be extremely traumatic to families, especially children. My children’s picture book, Living With Mom, Spending Time With Dad takes us through a myriad of emotions that two children, Stephen and Alex experience through this tumultuous period. The children, especially Alex gives an extremely candid and honest account of the day to day trauma, the hostility and at times the many poignant memories that he has. Living with Mom, Spending Time with Dad also addresses the concerns and anguish of being torn between two parents. Throughout the story there is that underlying hope that everything will turn out alright and everyone will be back in their original comfort zone.
saundra
March 13, 2011 at 3:07 PM
this story of the Dwayne Wade custody battle is so unsettling. First of all, the decision does not really seem to be thght out completely. I am a HUGE fan of his but this does not set well with me. It doesn't matter to me about the fact that the mother didnt get custody but the fact that the judge actually thght that its n the best interest of two small children to be with him during this busy time of NBA season, especially with him on the road every other day. The judge must not have kids. He can't possibly be the parent the boys need. This is going to be a time when these kids emotionally need a constant parent, not a nanny. Yes, its wrong to alienate a parent but giving them sole custody cause of it is totally crazy cause there are certain conditions that can be set in place to ensure that she cant do that. She wasnt proven to be unfit but the total opposite and the kids were very well taken care of, sources say. She is totally smart to appeal and the judge shld definately be replaced and tested for competence to rule. I feel that both sides were using the kids as ways of revenge and its Saaaaaaaad! She's probably mad cause he divorced her and from what sources say included infidelity, and he's probably not wanting to pay alimony and child support. THEY NEED TO BOTH GROW UP AND START THINKING OF THEIR KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
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