During and after divorce, issues involving children can become a very sensitive subject for parents. Although they want to provide the best for their children, two people may not be able to agree about the best way accomplish that. Even though it's understandable why parents become emotional about their children, it's important to remember that any critical decisions regarding child support or custody should be made with the kid's best interests in mind.

For quite some time, actor Charlie Sheen and his ex-wife, Brooke Muller, have been locked in a child custody dispute. This disagreement eventually resulted in a battle over Sheen's monthly child support payments. Now, however, the couple reportedly reached an agreement that will be in place, at least temporarily.

Behind the child support issue is the fact that Muller wasn't permitted custody of her children due to mental health concerns. As a result, the couple's two kids wound up in the care of Denise Richards, who is Sheen's other ex-wife. It’s widely known that Sheen has also struggled with his mental health, in addition to some chemical dependency concerns, which is why Richards stepped up to provide a stable home for the kids.

Because Richards has custody of the children, Sheen objected to paying Muller $55,000 worth of child support every month. Although the actor could have gone to court to end his child support obligations, he reached an out-of-court settlement. Now, Sheen will pay $25,000 in monthly support to Muller, even though she doesn’t have custody of the kids.

This case shows that resolution can be found in even the most contentious family law disputes. Couples can try to work together to reach a settlement before turning to the court to litigate a claim. This could allow parents to smooth out disagreements and work toward a more cooperative parenting relationship in the future.

At some point in the future, Muller could receive custody of the children once again. Under the recently negotiated deal, the old child support order would go back into effect if that happens.