I’m going through a divorce with my wife. We’ve been married 25 years, she has been a stay at home mom for the past 6 years. We have two kids, 9 and 6. The divorce is 100% my wife’s idea, I want to stay together and try to work things out. She had an affair and wants to change her life. She blames me for “losing herself” over the years and she no longer feels a connection with me.

We are trying to work through mediation and make decisions ourselves without lawyers. It’s really hard. I want close to 50/50 parenting time, and she is threatening to take me to court and “any judge would only give me 30% parenting time.”

I am a highly involved father. Coaching sports, school events, etc. Never miss a kid or family event. I do travel for work, about 8 days per month. I’m home most of the other days, so I actively support, play with, and love my kids.

I am also the sole breadwinner. There is nothing she could use against me besides the fact that I travel for work. I will be able to control my schedule such that I would have very limited travel when the kids are staying with me.

My question: How do the IL courts typically rule in this situation? I’d like to keep at a minimum 160 parenting days (42%). I can’t imagine my life seeing my kids less time than that. They are the most important thing in my life. I really want to avoid litigation as that will tear us apart further.

I truly appreciate any advice.