In North Dakota, child custody may be awarded to either the father or the mother. The court determines the best interests and welfare of the child by evaluating a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the following: the love, affection, and other emotional ties existing between the parents and child, the capacity and disposition of the parents to give the child love, affection, and guidance and to continue the education of the child, the disposition of the parents to provide the child with food, clothing, medical care, or other remedial care recognized and permitted under the laws of this state in lieu of medical care, and other material needs, and any other factors considered by the court to be relevant to a particular child custody dispute.