The parenting plan that you set for your children as you work out child custody during your divorce can be as detailed as you feel it needs to be. At a minimum, it needs to cover the schedule that you will use to know which parent has the children when. It should also include information about who is going to make decisions in specific areas for the children.
Sometimes, a parenting plan needs to get more specific. You and your ex might not be able to work together to agree on how to parent the children. In these cases, everything necessary to raise the children should be included in the plan. This includes:
- Curfews
- Internet usage
- Adult overnight visitors
- Schooling
- Religious upbringing
You also need to have a plan for what is going to happen when the plan needs to change. For example, if the child’s school schedule changes and results in a need to change the parenting plan, you need to know how to go about doing that.
It is usually best to leave a little flexibility in your parenting time arrangements. Being able to adjust things on the fly can help your children understand the importance of being able to adapt to the circumstances. Just make sure that the flexibility is coming from both sides.
There might be situations that cause a lot of strife during your child’s life. Remember that your ex is still your child’s other parent. Don’t badmouth them in front of the children. Instead, remain respectful. Remember that you and your ex have a long journey together because of the children.