What are the most important considerations when developing a child custody plan (parenting plan) in a Louisville divorce? How complex, specific and rigid should an effective child custody plan (visitation schedule) be? One of the most challenging aspects of many divorces is the resolution of child custody and parenting time. An effective parenting plan should carefully consider the existing rhythms of your family and the present and future schedules of each child.
If you wish to co-parent, the Court will be looking for a well-conceived parenting plan which takes into consideration and addresses the important issues associated with shared parenting. Many things should be fairly obvious to consider when working on a parenting plan but others may not seem as important. Even if you and your former spouse are working together in a positive manner with the best interests of each child at heart the potential for disagreements and legal disputes down the road is a genuine and significant risk.
A well-crafted parenting plan can provide a solid foundation for co-parenting now and in the months and years to come, while reducing or preventing post-decree modifications or litigation.
What are the most important issues and considerations when developing a child custody plan in Louisville?
Scheduling. Scheduling is the central focus of a parenting plan and should provide detailed schedules for how the child(ren) will move between households. Consider the school year including winter break, spring break and summer recess. How will you manage or rotate holidays, vacations or even birthdays?
Transportation. Transportation is another important issue to consider when working on a parenting plan. What child seat or safety features must be employed? How will the child(ren) get to school, child care, sporting events and extra-curricular activities and school related events? Who has the right or authorization to pick up your child at school, day care or an activity?
Health Care. Who has the right to make legal decisions regarding the child’s health and well being? How will Vaccinations, emergencies and illnesses be handled? What communication is required between co-parents when a health care issue arises?
Parenting Strategies. What specific parenting strategies need to be addressed? An important aspect to consider when working on a parenting plan is the methodology and administration of discipline. How and when will discipline be administered and what methods of discipline are to be used? How will technology such as cell phones and the internet be managed? Will there be a curfew or bedtime schedule for each child? How and when will each child be able to communicate with the non-custodial parent? What about grandparents, relatives and other third parties who may wish to visit with your child(ren)?
There are far too many considerations when developing a child custody plan to list here, but we hope this provides a good start. This is why it is important to work with the experienced Louisville family law attorneys at Dodd & Dodd Attorneys. We provide sound counsel and advice to our clients as well as strategies to help you during child custody and parenting time discussions and negotiations. We represent our clients during negotiations and if necessary mediation.
Resolving areas of concern or dispute in child custody and parenting time issues is a crucial aspect of most divorces. We invite you to review the strong recommendations of former clients and the legal industry and contact Dodd & Dodd Attorneys or call 502-584-1108 to learn more or schedule an appointment. We will work with you to protect your goals as a parent and to achieve the best possible outcome with your child custody and parenting time goals.
