People get irrational and they can’t see straight when they are going through a contentious custody battle.  Oftentimes emotions get in the way of what is the best interests of the children – not on purpose of course – but because the situation is so "heated."  Sometimes it helps to take a step back.  The link below is to an article that gives you the steps to take a step back.   They are helpful tips when thinking long term strategy with custody situations.  Most likely, you are going to have to deal with your child’s other parent for a long time – so it would be advantageous to figure out how to do it early.  Here’s the link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-a-ross-ma/for-divorce-and-joint-cus_b_911612.html