One of the factors that courts may consider when deciding on child custody is the reasonable preferences of the child. To consider a child’s preference, the court must first find that the child is old enough and mature enough to be capable of expressing a reasoned preference. But a child’s preference is only one of the factors that a court may take into consideration. Ultimately, the court must find a custody arrangement that serves the child’s best interest, even if that arrangement is not the child’s top preference.