Good for the child is "joint custody" but only if COMBINED WITH the very firm understanding that neither parent criticizes the other parent in front of the child. When the child is put between the parents, hears each criticizing the other, etc., then it often happens that the child blames himself/herself for the divorce and concurrently plays one parent against the other. But if the parents can amicably share in decisions about education and medical care, and each have good times with the child, without competing against each other for the child's attention, then the child has the best chance of growing up without needing counseling! If one parent has primary custody, then of course the times with the child will not be equal, but the quality of those times, not the length, is what is most important. And if one parent has primary custody, the other parent should have legally specified times with the child -- certain holidays, birthdays, vacations, weekends, etc.