A document created and agreed to by the parents of a minor child and approved by the court is known as a parenting plan. A parenting plan governs the relationship between the parents regarding the child. If you are going through a divorce and in the process of designing a parenting plan, the following tips can help ensure it is successful.
1. Determine Vacation Parenting
If your child is in school, they will have time off for winter break, spring break, and summer break. Determine which parent will be responsible for caring for the child during these times off from school.
2. Put Yourself in Your Child’s Shoes
It can be difficult to travel back and forth between two homes. No longer living with both parents is also tough. Prior to making decisions about your parenting schedule, put yourself in your child’s shoes and picture what daily life will be like for them. Consider what they will gain and what they will miss out on.
3. Ask Your Child for Their Opinion
If your child is young, they may not be able to explain what they are looking for out of a custody arrangement. However, if they are older, they will likely have an opinion. For instance, if you have a teenager, they may want to stay in the same home during the school week. Asking for your child’s opinion if they are old enough will make the divorce easier on them.
4. Ensure Your Parenting Plan is Custom Tailored to Your Family
Your parenting plan will be different than another family’s plan. When creating your parenting plan, take your work schedule, the other parent’s work schedule, finances, and logistics into consideration. Do not allow anyone convince you to take a cookie-cutter approach to your plan.
5. Be Specific
Often, parents make the mistake of leaving important details out of their parenting plans. Avoid making this mistake by including which parent will be responsible for pick up and drop off duties from school and extracurricular activities, which parent will pick up the child if they are sick and sent home from school, and how financial responsibilities will be divided.
Contact an Experienced DuPage County Divorce Attorney
If you are going through a divorce and would like to ensure your parenting plan is well-written and complete, you should contact our Hinsdale divorce attorneys. We can guide you through the process of creating the right parenting plan for you and your family. Call us at 630-920-8855 today.
Source:
http://www.divorcemag.com/blog/tips-for-creating-a-solid-parenting-plan