Parents know their children’s schedules better than anyone else. When a New Jersey couple splits up, however, the most effective way for children to maintain a relationship with both parents is by following a visitation plan. In divorce, this plan could be presented to the court and become a part of the divorce decree. Making significant changes to it might require returning to court. There are some things parents should consider when setting up a schedule for their children after one parent moves out of the family home.
Both parents should consider how the schedule they create might affect their children. Instead of making a plan that’s convenient for the adults, parents should put themselves in the child’s shoes. To create a schedule that’s in the best interests of the child, both parents may need to make some sacrifices. As the child grows, parents should be flexible. It may be much easier to schedule parenting time for a toddler than an active preteen.
Newly separated parents may struggle to work together on a parenting plan. However, it’s important to remember that a parenting plan is not a tool to get back at an ex. The plan is a means for the children to maintain some of the stability they had when they lived in the same home with both of their parents.
Family court judges typically prefer for parents to make their own scheduling plans. Because some exes are not yet able to sit down and communicate effectively, the court may create a plan on the children’s behalf. An experienced attorney could help a client in a similar situation present a case to a judge so that the parenting plan takes the children’s special needs into account.
