We have two girls aged 4 and 6. The marriage has broken down and my wife recently filed her divorce petition. It is clear that she intends to move from Manchester, where we live, to Colchester to be closer to her mother. There are no other family members in Colchester and very little in the way of a network to rely on.
The kids are happy and settled in school / nursery and have lots of family on my side within a short drive from our home.
The thing with our set up is that I, as a father, have done a little over half of all the childcare since our children were born with the exception of maternity leave lasting 9 months each time. The balance of childcare to date is easy to prove and is not really in question.
We are still living together in the family home whilst the divorce takes place, and there are therefore no contact arrangements in place because we are all together every day anyway.
We completed mediation but still do not agree re relocation, so this is heading to court. But being a father, it feels as though it will be an uphill struggle to convince the court that the children’s best interests are best served by remaining in Manchester. I know this is 2018 and the child’s welfare is paramount, but I still can’t help feeling as though I have a tougher battle to face than my wife does.
Having read this thread, I’m keen to get some advice for a father who is majorly involved with their children’s upbringing and who should potentially be regarded as the primary caregiver, rather than someone from a more traditional setup where the mother is primary. Should I be looking at trying to become the primary carer post divorce?