Parents are not always nice, and some can do nasty things to their kids. Divorce can be a great chance to change things and protect your children.
If your spouse harms the kids, you need to do all you can to keep them away from them. But what about if the issue is less clear? What if you think your spouse is a bad influence rather than a physical threat?
In this case, you need to think hard about the circumstances. If your spouse has a drinking problem and smashes things, then yes, they are a danger no child should experience. Yet, if they have started drinking a bottle of wine a night and mumbling incoherently since your marriage broke down, they might not pose a threat.
People sometimes use drink to escape an unhappy situation. While alcohol is not a recommendable coping mechanism, and your kids could do without seeing their parent in that state, consider if divorce will change things. Once the divorce is over, you might find your now ex-spouse will put the bottle away and pull their life back together fast.
Is cutting your kids off from their other parent the best thing?
Courts generally prefer that children continue to see both parents. Kids usually prefer that too. To persuade a judge to break with that, you will need considerable evidence that your spouse poses a danger. If your spouse has never yet done anything, but you are just worried they might, it will be more challenging.
Making the correct custody decisions can be difficult because you are so emotionally involved in the situation. Getting outside help makes it easier to do what is right for your children.