Setting up a parenting plan after a divorce can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s important to lay out everything in detail so that everyone understands his or her rights and responsibilities in the parenting plan. This can then help ease tensions between you and your ex and ensure that your child or children don’t feel too confused by the transition. Following are five steps that can help you create a successful parenting plan after your Minnesota divorce.
Communicate openly
Talk about your proposed parenting plan together. You’ll need to be on the same page about things like custody arrangements, visitation schedules and holiday plans. If you can’t come to an agreement, the court may have to get involved.
Decide where the kids will live
Figure out where the kids will live. If you and the other parent are on good terms, you may be able to come to an agreement about who will have primary custody. If you’re not on good terms, you may need to go through the court system to determine custody arrangements. It’s important to keep in mind that there isn’t just one “right” way to split up time with your children after a divorce. You can create any type of schedule that works best for both parties involved, but it should also work well with the child’s needs. For example, a 3-year-old might want at least one meal with each parent every day while an 8-year-old might only want visitation on weekends.
Be flexible with your arrangement when negotiating
Be flexible and consider both parents’ work schedules, child care availability and the child’s extracurricular activities when creating the schedule. Having regular communication about the schedule and any changes that need to be made shows that you respect each other’s time and input.
Leave details open
It’s important to leave some details of your parenting plan open so that you can be flexible and adapt as your child grows. You’ll also want to consider the logistics of your arrangement, such as where your child will spend holidays and weekends. Keep in mind that your parenting plan should be based on what’s best for your child.