How can I prove that I deserve custody of my children?

Child custody should, whenever possible, be decided by the parents without involving the court system. You and the child's other parent should sit down, with the help of lawyers or mediators or any other third party who can assist you, and try to come up with a fair agreement that does what is best for your family and your child. The court will then sign off on that agreement. However, if you cannot do this because you can't come to an agreement or because there are special circumstances like abuse, then you will litigate the custody issue and the court will make a decision on what happens as far as custody. 

When a court determines custody, the focus of the court is determining the best interests of the child. This normally means the child has at least visitation with both parents. However, if you want to prove that you should have either primary or sole custody, there are a few things you will need to do to show the court that being with you is in the child's best interests. When determining where a child will live, the court will consider:

• How much care each parent provides to the child. If one parent is a primary caregiver, the court is likely to allow that parent more time with the child so as not to upset the child's routine
• The relationship of each parent and child. 
• The willingness of each parent to let the child maintain a relationship with his community, extended family and other parent
• Any other details necessary to determine what the child's best interests is. 

If you want custody of your kids, you thus need to prove you are the parent who can provide the best home. You should hire a lawyer to help you do that if you want the best chance of getting custody.