When you’re going through a divorce and have children, it’s important to make arrangements and agreements with your ex-spouse on how you’ll continue to co-parent your kids.
While many think a divorce involves simply setting child custody and support, there are other factors you should consider.
Check out these five tips that parents often overlook when it comes to parenting provisions during divorce.
1. No stealing time. Though it can seem petty, sometimes, parents may sign children up for extracurricular activities scheduled during the ex-partner’s time. Before doing something like this, make sure to talk to your ex about the activity your child wants to participate in and get the “all clear” from them.
2. Consider weekend time. Let’s face it, life happens and sometimes it’s difficult to stick exactly to your set parenting plan. Things pop up on weekends—sometimes, events that you’d like to take your children to. This could frustrate the other parent. Consider adding a provision that states neither parent is able to go three consecutive weekends without seeing the child(ren).
3. Try to settle things out of court when possible. It’s possible to include a provision in your custody arrangement that states both parties will first attempt to work out any new difficulties through a third-party mediator before going to court. Because court can leave a sour taste in one another’s mouth, this could be a good idea for you.
4. Think about electronic time. In today’s world, kids often find themselves glued to a screen—be it a computer, tablet or smartphone. Make sure you and your ex are on the same page when it comes to electronic time so that one parent isn’t allowing for too much while the other is stricter.
5. Don’t badmouth one another. It’s no secret that not all marriages end on great terms. If you think it might take a while to develop a healthy co-parenting relationship with your ex-partner, consider adding a “no badmouthing” provision to your child custody arrangement. This way, both parents will be legally obligated to focus on the children only while refraining from nasty comments about one another.
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