5 Things to Consider When Creating a Parenting Plan for Divorce

Divorce is never easy on the children of a divorcing couple. In fact, experts have found a link between divorce and mental or psychological trouble.

Creating a parenting plan for divorce is more than just a requirement from the courts. It’s also a chance to make sure that the impact on your children is as minimal as possible. Keep reading to learn a few things to consider when creating your plan.

1. Put Your Child First

The most important thing you can do when making decisions about joint custody and creating a parenting plan is to always put your child first.

It can be easy to turn your parenting talks with your soon-to-be-ex into a battleground. But at the end of the day, it’s important to remember that your disagreements are not the fault of your child. Both you and your spouse are parents, and that’s something that you’ll share even after your marriage has ended.

Putting your child first when making decisions about their schedule, custody, living arrangements, and more will ensure that you’re minimizing the disruption to their lives as much as possible.

2. Set a Schedule You Can Keep

If both you and your spouse want custody of your child or children and are afraid of missing major milestones or holidays, you might be tempted to split time a little too much.

Shuffling your child back and forth multiple times a week or even multiple times a month if traveling a long distance can put a lot of undue stress and pressure on your child. It can also put a strain on even a good relationship between two ex-spouses, as both get tired of driving back and forth to transport the child.

It’s difficult to go from being with your child around the clock to splitting time with them. But setting a schedule that’s practical and easier on your child will help keep tensions down and make sure your child has plenty of time with each parent.

3. Make a Plan to Communicate

Ongoing communication issues are the leading cause of divorce. So it stands to reason that, at least for a while after the divorce, you and your former spouse may struggle to talk calmly and clearly with one another. You may even want to avoid communicating altogether.

But when you’re sharing parenting responsibilities, this isn’t an option.

That’s why it’s a good idea to make a plan for communication from the start. Discuss when you’ll call one another, and what you’ll call about. You might decide to communicate monthly about your child’s progress in school, for instance, to make sure that you’re on the same page about what is going on in his or her life.

4. Talk About How You’ll Navigate Decisions Ahead of Time

Along the same lines of communicating, it’s also important to discuss how you’ll handle big decisions.

Will you let your child have a cellphone at age 10, or will they need to wait until their teenage years? Can they go to sleep-away camp in the summer? Will your teen be allowed to go overseas on a school trip?

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Discussing how you’ll face big milestones before they occur will allow you to have a united front when it comes time to let your child know about what you’ve decided.

5. Hire an Attorney You Trust

In a divorce, your lawyer is there to do more than just file paperwork. He or she can also offer support as you navigate the many decisions you’ll need to make, both on your own and with your spouse. This includes making suggestions when creating your parenting plan for child care.

Hiring an attorney that you trust will make it easier to ask the questions or advice that you need during this tough time. Visit thetexasdivorcelawyer.com to start your search.

Creating a Parenting Plan for Divorce

Creating a parenting plan for divorce is easier when you keep these things in mind.

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