Parental conflicts while sharing custody are relatively common. Especially initially, as parents adjust to the new arrangements, it can be very difficult for them to work together for the benefit of their children.
Frequently, parents find themselves establishing vastly different priorities regarding their children’s upbringing. Parents may worry about one another exposing the children to inappropriate materials or taking them around unstable people. One parent may question the decisions that the other makes regarding the children.
Some people worry too much to let go of their anxiety. Others may have a somewhat controlling nature that inspires them to intervene. They may want to use smartwatches, tablets or mobile phones as a way to monitor their children’s location and, therefore, what happens while they are with the other parent.
Is secret GPS monitoring appropriate in a shared custody arrangement scenario?
The law doesn’t forbid GPS tracking yet
Some states have already adopted legal statutes prohibiting GPS tracking without the knowledge and consent of the party subject to tracking. Missouri has not yet adopted such laws, but lawmakers have proposed a bill that is currently making its way through the legislature. Should the law pass, people who use GPS to track their children’s whereabouts and therefore the conduct of another parent could be at risk of criminal accusations.
Currently, there are no laws prohibiting GPS tracking in a shared custody arrangement, provided that there isn’t a protective order in place limiting the conduct of one parent. While there may not be a law forbidding GPS tracking, the discovery of secret tracking activities is likely to cause significant, if not permanent, damage to the relationship between the co-parents.
Those who believe that their children are truly at risk may need to consider looking into ways to modify their custody arrangements. Those who simply worry about the children staying out too late or being around the wrong people may have to practice radical acceptance to cope with matters that they cannot currently change.
Learning more about the laws that regulate shared custody arrangements can help parents protect themselves and their children. In most cases, finding ways to cooperate is better than maintaining an adversarial approach to shared parental responsibilities.
