Child custody isn’t always easy to determine when you are two parents both equally interested in having physical custody of your children. Even if both of you are on relatively good terms, there is a risk that the child custody and parenting plans you need to come up with could threaten the balance during your divorce.
As a parent who wants to do what is best for your children, it is vital that you sit down and talk with your spouse about the outcome you would both like to see. The courts want to know that you both have the best interest of your children at heart, and if you don’t appear to be thinking of your children, the court will take action to change any kind of agreement you come up with.
What should you do to create a fair parenting plan?
One of the best things you can do is to sit down separately and think about the schedule you would like to have. Each of you should do this on your own and then present it to one another. Focus on not getting upset by what the other person has written, but instead, look at their ideas for similarities.
If there is anything that matches your idea of a good parenting plan, then you can take that as the first step toward creating a parenting plan.
Once you have a starting place, it’s easier to negotiate other items. For example, if you have both agreed that your child should be with one parent during the week because of school but don’t know which parent should have custody, you should start looking at secondary factors. Consider who has more time to help your child with homework, who is more interested in events and school activities, who lives closer to the school and other important factors that could influence your child’s life. This can help you resolve differences and end up with a great parenting schedule.