Particulars Within A Parenting Plan

Making the transition from spouses who share parenting responsibilities to co-parents who live separate lives is not always easy, but there are plenty of tools to help parents through the process. One of the main ones is a parenting plan.

A parenting plan is a legal document that outlines how a child or children will be brought up by two individuals who are no longer a couple. Plans typically include a co-parenting schedule and details about who will be reasonable for making child-rearing decisions, from educational choices to religious upbringing.

It may take a period of negotiation to land on a parenting plan both parents are comfortable with, but taking the time to create an effective co-parenting document is worth the effort as it allows everyone to move forward with confidence. If you have particular child-rearing details you want included in your parenting plan, talk through your objectives with a skilled Tampa family lawyer.

Asking Questions to Discover Unique Areas of Concern

You may believe you know what you want and what your spouse will request, but it is common for new issues to come to light during the negotiation process. Because of this, asking many questions of yourself will help you land on exactly what you wanted to include in your parenting plan.

• Who is in charge of making educational decisions?
• Are both public and private schools an option?
• Who will pay for private school tuition, if it’s part of the plan, along with extracurriculars and summer camps?
• Will the children be attending summer camp and if they are, should it be a specific type of camp? Such as one that is secular or religious?
• What extracurriculars are the priority? Visual arts? Sports? Music?

Each of these questions could bring more inquiries to mind, which is good. You may initially feel frustrated by more concerns as you want to resolve your divorce issues as soon as possible, but addressing all of these parenting issues during the divorce agreement negotiation process means you will not be facing future disputes. You will enter your post-divorce life with a clear guideline of how your co-parent relationship will work and thrive.

Keeping Private Matters Private

Additionally, some parents have strong feelings about when and how new romantic partners will be introduced to children. This can be included in parenting plans. Because while you won’t have control over who your ex-spouse dates or when, you can request that a co-parent doesn’t live with a romantic partner before they are married, for instance.

When you are ready to get started on your unique parenting plan, talk to a skilled Tampa family lawyer.

Who do I talk to about my specific parenting plan needs? To be sure you secure the future you are hoping for after your divorce is finalized, connect with the legal team at Blair H. Chan, III. Child custody, visitation schedules, and child support needs have to be reviewed. This is on top of asset and debt allocations. Share your objectives with our attorneys, then we’ll talk you through your options. To get started, call 813-202-7831 to schedule a consultation.