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Factors to consider when making a parenting plan

On Behalf of | Jan 23, 2023 | Child Custody

Parents going through a divorce need to put their kids’ best interests first, and a parenting plan helps them achieve that. Divorce with kids involves many aspects, but this plan may make work more manageable. You and your ex-spouse will agree on a visitation schedule and each party’s responsibilities and rights.

Nonetheless, at times, this plan fails to work for some divorced parents in Herndon and throughout Virginia. Below are factors to consider to increase the success chances of your plan.

Age

A parenting plan for a toddler may not be practical for a teenager because the latter has school and extracurricular activities. Thus, regard your child’s age to make an appropriate plan. If you have kids of different ages, it may help to have individual plans for them.

Special needs

Children with special needs require a parenting plan that considers their medical, educational and developmental care. Their visitation schedule may also need to be modeled carefully to ensure they see both parents as often as possible.

Work schedule

You need to assess your work schedule and that of your ex-spouse to make a reasonable parenting plan. It may not be practical to have the kids on days when your work is most demanding – you may not give them full attention as you would like.

Other family members

Kids need to have a relationship with other family members. You should consider these connections when making a parenting plan.

Communication

Communication may determine the success of your co-parenting plan. You and your ex-spouse should agree on what may be communicated, how to contact each other and the kids, frequency of communication, and communication methods in emergencies.

A parenting plan can work when the right measures are applied. You should also learn about your options to protect your relationship with your children.