When you are going on a trip but you don't know how to get there, what should you do? If you don't have a road map you will wind up somewhere but not where you want to be.
Parenting plans are like a road map between parents so that they not only agree where they want to go but how to get there.
When issues or potential conflicts arise around child custody, parenting plans, custody agreements, divorce or similar issues:
remember that fear means you are getting closer to the truth
imagine yourself in the other person’s position
know the impact your behavior has upon others
acknowledge that your family relationships are the highest priority
remember that your reputation is always in issue
value the importance of staying “in relationship” and not checking out
When thinking about how to reach a resolution:
be willing to reach mutually satisfactory agreements
avoid posturing, tantrums, and “all or nothing” ultimatums
have no judgment about the other’s lifestyle, ideas or plans
identify mutual needs and interests that serve ...
What is the difference between a custody agreement and a parenting plan?
A custody agreement is usually two or three pages and addresses legal and physical custody, the child's primary residence, and a brief co-parenting schedule.
A parenting plan goes into much more detail and addresses healthcare, education (schools, classes, tutors, special education), childcare/daycare, religious worship/training, detailed co-parenting schedules (daily, weekly, monthly, vacations, holidays, holy days), living situations (move-away, commuting, residents), sports (school/league/neighborhood), travel (permissions, locations, timing), financial (child support, tax exemption, add-ons), lifestyle (drug/alcohol/dating/sex) and much more.
In the seesaw battle to test grandparents’ rights in child-visitation disputes, Hawaii’s highest court in December reversed the momentum grandparents had recently regained. The ruling comes after decisions in 2006 in Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Utah, in which those states’ supreme courts had sided with grandparents who were forced to sue for visits with their grandchildren.
In another twist before that, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a case from Washington state—decided in 2000—had sent grandparents’ visitation rights reeling. Prior to the Washington case, grandparents across the country had a legal right to sue for visits with their grandchildren. But in 2000, ...
Custody Advice emails, join our mailing and list and we will periodically send you custody tips and advice for your situation!
We understand this is an emotional time for divorcing and separating parents, and we always put KidsFirst!
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Parenting together is the unspoken agreement we make with our partner or spouse when we both decide to have children and become parents. Having been children ourselves, we know that parents who cooperate and share responsibility are acting in the best interests of the child. We also know that when parents refuse to cooperate and fail to agree on how to raise a child, it is the child who ultimately suffers.
In our ongoing effort to enhance KidsFirst! for you we have created a simple survey! We would appreciate your feedback and comments regarding what you need during this transitional time.
Please take just a minute to fill out our survey!
Thank you for making KidsFirst! even better.
If both parents agree on shared custody, the next question should be: "How does this arrangement benefit our child?"
Kids-Plus! benefits the child by asking these questions of both parents.
If he is very young, making an agreement to move him from one parent's home to the other several times each week is too disruptive.
If your child moves from one house to the other without a enough time to adjust and find a consistent rhythms, he may begin to feel unsafe and emotionally unstable.
It is important to establish consistent routines ...
When going through a divorce or seperation it is sometimes easy to overlook the small things that protect our children. In your parenting plan you need to address ALL issues regarding the child or children- not just the big issues, such as protective gear when playing sports. And which sports they are allowed to play.
In the present, are you and the other parent able to agree and are you two able to resolve children issues without arguing?Truth is often a question of perspective, usually existing somewhere between one side and the other. If both parents are open and smart enough to view the world from the perspective of the other parent, you will be able to reach common agreement leading to real collaboration.Remember that you can best be a peacemaker when you are truly at peace with yourself and that your children will model your behavior, good or bad.
A parent may want peace at ...
