What does shared custody look like? Joint custody for parents. How does that work? For mom this week, one week. Dad will be off next week for one week. Do Mom and Dad each have four days off this week? Next week, switch it around. How does a 50/50 custody schedule work?

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The optimal timetable for parents and their children is up to the discretion of the parents. There is a parenting time schedule recommended by the courts. There is no upper limit specified. The arrangements need to consider the child’s developmental stage. A baby’s needs and a teenager’s needs are two completely different things. If it is possible, the court would prefer to stay out of these arrangements. The preferred timetable is one that both the parents and the child can appreciate.

Every family is unique in its elements and circumstance. Every divorce case and every custody case develops and concludes in its way. In deciding on how to approach custody and parenting time, this uniqueness will come to bear. Some schedules may or may not work for some families or their children. The best decision for the parents might not necessarily be the best decision for the children. Younger children might enjoy more regular interactions with their parents. Older children might be more interested in stability for weeks at a time without moving. It may be best for the child to spend more time with one parent while still young. The child will get older and starts spending more time with the other parent. Smaller children may bond with one parent more deeply than the other.

What do we need to consider when planning custody schedules or parenting time?

Equal custody distribution is more common today than it was in previous generations. It may not be the best possible solution available for your family. Some factors, including changing circumstances, may alter how your custody is divided. Here are some things to take into account in the child’s age of development:

[ a ]  The ages of your children at some point.

[ b ]  The extent of your cooperation with the other parent.

[ c ]  Your reluctance to be flexible in favor of upholding a regular schedule.

Any custody arrangement created with the child, not the parent, in mind, should be the best option. Both parents must take certain factors into account when deciding on the custody arrangement:

[a] Taking parent “breaks” while keeping in touch with each parent at least once every few days.

[b] Reliability and predictability.

[c] The development of the child is taken into account. Infants on a nursing schedule with shorter, more frequent blocks of parental attention. This may be more beneficial. Breast milk sharing may be arranged by the parents.

[ d ] When both parents previously took care of the child’s daily needs. Circumstances like parenting time at night, either jointly or individually.

[ e ] Consider a “graduated schedule.” It starts with less parenting time and then increases in frequency and duration. It is done every time a parenting milestone is reached. When a parent has not consistently cared for the child or is uncomfortable caring for the child.

[ f ] Parenting time should be scheduled as frequently as necessary. Especially when parents live far apart. Parents may have to travel during their parenting time.

[ g ] The chance for both parents to go to significant events with the child. Significant events can mean birthdays, religious holidays, and doctor’s appointments.

A custody arrangement is a requirement of a parenting plan. The best selections were those that were made with the children’s best interests in mind. Because of that viewpoint, we can negotiate the intricate world of custody arrangements. As we mentioned, every family is different. Determining custody schedules can be challenging.

Is there an ideal parenting time or custody schedule we can follow?

People discuss a typical holiday custody schedule as significant to parents. When they do, they are usually referring to the typical holiday schedule of the Friend of the Court. Parenting time regulations are determined by the State of Michigan. It is the same in the case of Macomb County and other counties in Michigan. The “best practices” outlined in these recommendations are applicable in most circumstances. Most parents see a weekly plan when talking about custody schedules and parenting time. Even templates of parenting time schedules are designed weekly. You can try some of these recommended schedules.

Schedules for custody utilizing whole weeks.

Weekly schedules are good for younger children. Weekly arrangements are also good when parents don’t live close enough. Alternating Weeks: Often referred to as “week on, week off.” This type of custody agreement sees children spend a full week for each parent. One week before going to the other for a full week the following time. Parents can decide, for instance, what day Sunday through Saturday begins and ends. Use this to decide as well as what time the children are transferred to the other parent. Many midweek moves are prevented by this custody arrangement.

Instead of moving every other week, children stay with the custodial parents for two weeks at a time. A two-week interval may be too long for some young children. They do reduce the amount of time that kids spend moving from one home to another. Some parents would only adhere to this strategy during the summer. The two-week arrangement facilitates vacations.

Custody schedules that use midweek transfers.

The first week will see one parent working more days. The second week will see the other parent working more days. By the end of the two weeks, the overall number of custody days for each parent is equal. There are several methods for equitably dividing the weeks. These figures represent the number of days that each parent will have. Parent One has 3 days, followed by Parent Two has 4 days with children. Parent One has 4 days, and Parent Two gets 3 days. It is according to the formula 3-4-4-3. The timetables are then reset.

[3-4-4-3]. Under this schedule, parents always have the same three days of the week in a row, while the fourth day rotates. While the other parent might only have Friday through Sunday off, one parent might have Monday through Wednesday off. Thursday occasionally flips sides. Unless you want to make a Saturday or Sunday the day that switches, weekends are not switched in this scheme.

[5-2-2-5]. Alternate the entire weekend with the children. Try the 5-2-2-5 plan. Each parent has custody of their child on the same two days of the week. Either getting Monday and Tuesday schedules or getting Wednesday and Thursday. Every parent takes turns spending the weekend.

[2-2-3]. You want your children to move between parents as often as possible without doing it every other day. Try the 2-2-3 custody arrangement. When Parent One has the children in his or her care for two days of the week, Parent Two takes over for the remaining two. The following three days are spent with Parent One and the children. Next week’s schedules are reversed. It offers Parent One two days, Parent Two three days, and Parent Two two days.

A week without one parent can be too lengthy for children. Breaking up the week under these circumstances is an excellent idea. These arrangements share custody equally over two weeks. This includes typical workday and weekend schedules and vacations. This also applies to school breaks and other special occasions.

How do we manage our holidays?

How should parenting time be handled while on vacation? Is there a perfect Christmas custody arrangement? Ask your local Friend of the Court or FOC. you will probably get parenting time depending on recognized holidays in your state. What happens if the parents celebrate religious holidays? What if they do so according to different religions? This could be challenging.

If the court must make a choice, it will try to split custody arrangements as equally as possible. The court’s consideration of the religious society will depend on some factors. What age is the child? Whether the child was raised in a religious setting? Is it in the child’s best interests to preserve religious tradition?

What is a typical visitation timetable for the holidays?

They are probably referring to the typical holiday schedule that the FOC follows.

In the FOC schedule, holidays are commonly regarded as “one-day” holidays. Alternating three-day vacations on Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day is another tactic. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day vacations might be prolonged. Religious holidays can be included in the program if they are important to a household.

Vacations are a different story. When children are small, two-week vacations are frequently “non-consecutive”. Children can endure being separated from one parent for two weeks at a period as they get older. By April or May, parents are usually anticipated to exchange suggested vacation itineraries.

The court decides whether the child stays with one parent during even-numbered years. Then, stay with the other parent during odd-numbered years. This is if the schedules are incompatible. The majority of the time, holiday and vacation time takes precedence. It is prioritized over “normal parenting time” and trumps it. Long trips can be divided up or rotated as a whole, allowing one parent to transport the children to, say, Florida. Parenting time during the holidays is extremely flexible.

Four of the eight annual vacations can be used by both spouses to spend time with their children. The vacation locations can switch each year. A child can spend Memorial Day, Labor Day, Christmas Eve, and Easter Sunday with their father. Then spend the Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day with their mother. The following year, they’ll setup differently. Parents may also switch off during the winter and summer holidays. The 16th Judicial Circuit Court General Parenting Time Schedule is a notable illustration.

There are many times throughout the year when your children are planning to be with your ex. You would prefer to be with them. Negotiations are essential during the divorce process. Your attorney can assist you in coming up with and providing a reasonable parenting time arrangement or plan. The most important thing to understand is that once the plan is made, it must be implemented. Consistency is essential for your children’s welfare and from a legal standpoint. They will rely on this plan just as much as you do. Knowing where they’ll be and who they’ll be with each week will help them manage their daily lives.

Whatever you do has an impact on your children. Above all, you must be sure to spend as much time as you can with your children. Keep things fair and prevent disagreements. Many ex-spouses in the state of Michigan follow a standard parenting time schedule. There can be flexibility in how the time spent with your children is divided.

Even if you may have the ideal timetable and organization in mind, sticking to the suggestions may be necessary to get things off to a good start. Stick first to what is considered standard. Taxpayer money, time, and effort were all invested in it. It might be better to just give it a shot before trying anything creative first.

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Goldman & Associates Law Firm is here to with information about Child Custody and Divorce in the State of Michigan.