Parents who are splitting up have to determine what type of arrangement they’re going to mutually employ when raising their children. In most cases, it’s best for children to have a meaningful relationship with both parents. One possible exception to this is when abuse or neglect are factors in a family’s circumstances.
If you and your ex are splitting, there are some specific things you need to consider as you’re constructing a custody agreement. For example, having detailed plans addressing the following concerns may help to reduce the stress on you and your children.
Plan for medical decisions
Creating a plan for your child’s medical care is important. There are two primary ways this can be handled. One of these is that both parents will have an equal say in medical decisions. Another is that one parent will make all medical decisions. Another important point to consider is what should happen in emergencies. Typically, whichever parent is with the child will make those decisions, but the terms of letting the other parent know what’s going on should be covered.
Set expectations for extracurricular activities
Extracurricular activities can take up a lot of your child’s time. The parenting plan should include information about how parents will share important information about these activities, how fees and expenses will be covered and what will happen for transportation.
Discuss holidays, school breaks and special events
The parenting time schedule may change for holidays, school breaks and special events. Having the plan for dealing with these is critical. Some parents set the schedule in the parenting plan, but others have terms for how to work together to make those decisions about when the child will spend time with each parent.
Ultimately, the parenting plan that you set during the child custody process is what will govern legally-enforceable expectations for all involved when it comes to raising your children. The terms of this agreement should be clearly defined so everyone knows what their responsibilities and rights are. All these terms should be based on what’s best for the children. Seeking personalized legal guidance is a good way to get started.