Parenting Plan Advice for Divorcing Couples with Children

If you are a divorcing couple with children, one of the most important decisions you will make is creating a parenting plan. A parenting plan is a document that outlines how you and your ex-partner will co-parent your children after divorce. It should be tailored to the specific needs of your family and address issues such as custody arrangements, visitation schedules, and holiday schedules.

Creating a parenting plan can be a difficult and emotional process, but it is important to remember that the best interests of your children should always come first. With that in mind, here are some tips for creating a parenting plan that will work for your family.

1. Make sure you are on the same page about what you want from the parenting plan. Before you start drafting any kind of document, sit down with your ex-partner and have a conversation about your goals for the parenting plan. Do you want joint custody? How do you want to handle visitation? What kind of holiday schedule do you want? Making sure you are both on the same page from the outset will make the process of creating a parenting plan much easier.

2. Be flexible and open to compromise. Even if you have very different ideas about what the parenting plan should look like, it is important to be flexible and open to compromise. Remember, the goal is to create a plan that works for everyone involved, so be willing to make concessions where necessary.

3. Put yourself in your child's shoes. When making decisions about custody arrangements, visitation schedules, and holiday plans, always put yourself in your child's shoes and think about what would be best for them. Will joint custody work for your family? Would it be better for your child to spend Christmas with one parent one year and then alternate between parents every year thereafter? By keeping your child's best interests in mind, you can make sure that the parenting plan you create is truly in their best interest.

Creating a parenting plan can be a difficult process, but it is important to remember that the best interests of your children should always come first. With that in mind, here are some tips for creating a parenting plan that will work for your family: make sure you are on the same page about what you want from the parenting plan, be flexible and open to compromise, and put yourself in their shoes when making decisions about custody arrangements and visitation schedules, and always keep their best interests at heart. By following these tips, you can create a parenting plan that meets the needs of everyone involved.