In a divorce, the needs of the children should still come before all else. Regardless of how the ex-spouses feel about one another, they must come together to create an effective parenting plan for their children. To make an effective plan, both parents should know what goes into a good plan.
The factors a court considers during custody decisions provide a good outline of what goals each parent should uphold for their children. Here are some
What do I put in my parenting plan?
An effective parenting plan is a document that specifies what each parent needs to provide for their children to ensure that they are getting the appropriate parenting from each parent. These documents are incredibly useful, as they make parenting a lot easier when each parent can refer to this agreement to determine what each parent’s fair share of responsibility is.
These plans should provide goals that minimize disruption to the parent’s lives and the children’s lives while maximizing the time that each parent receives with their children. Parenting plans should also address:
- The potential for unexpected events, and how each parent can be flexible to accommodate the other parent’s needs
- Children’s living arrangements and scheduling pick-ups and drop-offs
- Visitation and custody for vacations and holidays
- School decisions
- Health decisions
- Parental communication
There is a lot to consider when you are drafting your parenting plan. While you can draft this document on your own, experienced legal guidance from a family law attorney can help you cover all your bases while still looking out for your children’s best interests. Their experience can help you work with your ex-spouse while drafting your plan. An effective parenting plan reduces the opportunity for conflict between ex-spouses while providing parenting guidelines, so be sure to add one to your divorce.
