If you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse have kids and have agreed on a parenting plan, you should need accurate information to make fair decisions. Co-parenting offers many benefits, but practicality and fairness are key to its success.
The following are four factors to consider when making a parenting plan.
1. Your child’s daily schedule
A plan that interferes with your child’s daily schedule can make it hard for them to cope with the new life. Thus, you should consider their schedule, which is dependent on age. For example, if your children go to school, weekend exchanges might work better than a mid-week swap, for example.
2. Your child’s special needs
If your child has special needs, the parenting plan should be scheduled in a way that allows them to get the care they need conveniently at both homes.
3. Your child’s social life
The chances are your children have friends in the neighborhood. Thus, you should determine how they can maintain these relationships and make others in their new area. Further, if you have different arrangements for each child, you should schedule when they can be together.
4. Your work schedules
The work schedule of both parents is also integral to the fairness of a parenting plan. You want to have your kids when you are not too busy to spend time with them. However, a parenting plan should be flexible enough to accommodate unexpected changes. It will be best to communicate with your co-parent earlier when you need a change to avoid misunderstandings.
Making decisions in the child’s best interest is crucial in a divorce involving parents. You should learn more about how custody works to protect your parental rights.