The end of your marriage will bring changes for every member of your family. One of your goals may be to protect your children from unnecessary duress and complications, and one way you can do this is by providing your kids with the most practical custody arrangement possible. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to child custody, and the ideal custody arrangement for your Colorado family depends on the details of the individual situation and goals for your kids.
If you are considering your custody options, you will benefit from knowing how you can implement a schedule that is practical for your family’s needs while still protecting the interests of your children. The ultimate goal of any custody and visitation schedule is to provide the kids with as much continuity of lifestyle as possible. Before you make any important decisions, you will benefit from considering the potential long-term impact of your choices.
How to co-parent effectively
You and the other parent may make the decision to co-parent together. This will provide your children with regular access to each of you, and it may provide a sense of stability that other types of custody arrangements do not offer. To make a co-parenting arrangement work well long-term, it is critical to choose the best possible schedule. Your options include:
- 2-2-3 routine – With this schedule, parents will share time with their kids by following a 2-2-3 rotation. Children will be with one parent for two days, the other for two days, then back to the first parent for three days. The downside to this rotation is the frequency of transitions.
- Bi-weekly routine – With this schedule, parents will rotate the weeks that they have their children. This involves fewer transitions, but it can mean that one parent may go one full week without seeing his or her kids.
- Non-50/50 routine – Co-parents do not always split their parenting time equally. One parent may have primary physical custody due to various reasons, including work schedules and physical capabilities.
Ultimately, the right schedule for your co-parenting plan depends on the needs of your family. While divorce is an emotionally challenging process, you will benefit from setting those temporary feelings aside and focusing on the needs of the kids first. You may choose a common parenting schedule for your family, or you may create a plan that will suit the unique circumstances of your family and the best interests of your kids.