when the proceeding was commenced. This appeal is from the trial court's decision on remand.

1984 trial
At a trial in August 1984, the trial court heard 14 witnesses on the child custody issue, including a veteran court services investigator who had contacted over 30 people in preparing a written report. The trial judge interviewed the three older children. The evidence indicated that both parents cared deeply for their children and enjoyed good relationships with them. The children were healthy and well-adjusted.
The court services officer recommended placing custody of the three older children with their father, based partly on interviews with the children. The officer and the other witnesses offered conflicting evidence on the involvement of each parent with the children, the time appellant was away from the home insocial activities, and the demonstrations by each parent of unselfish concern for the daily needs of the children. Between 1977 and 1982, appellant had responsibility for child care during more hours than respondent, but she acknowledged that beginning in 1982, marital difficulties arose and respondent became increasingly more involved. Respondent's evidence showed him heavily involved in child care and effective in dealings with the children throughout the couple's parenting years.

Trial court findings
In 1986, on remand, the trial court found appellant was the primary caretaker of the youngest child, who had lived with her separately since he was an infant, but that "neither parent was the primary caretaker" of the other three children. This additional finding was stated:
Responsibility for the performance of child care was shared by both parents,