Divorce and Child Custody: What is a Parenting Plan?

A parenting plan is a divorce parenting document that outlines the schedule or timeshare that will include each parent’s responsibilities to raise their child. A parenting plan can be lengthy and detailed or it can be brief and simple.
This article explains the contents and customs of divorce parenting plans. 

When parents divorce or separate and a child is involved decisions about where the child will live, how the child will be raised, and the routine decision making about the child’s upbringing is often a difficult and emotional issue for parents to sort out in the mist of their divorce. With so many decisions that need to be made in the context of a divorce and child custody situation it is not uncommon for the parents to become frustrated, stressed, and overwhelmed especially if they do not know where to begin. So where does a parent involved in a divorce and child custody begin? You can begin by working on a parenting plan separately or together that takes into consideration your child’s needs and also reflects what you believe to be in the overall best interest of your child.

A parenting plan is a document that outlines the parenting schedule or timeshare and can include each parent’s responsibilities to raise their child. A parenting plan can be lengthy and detailed or it can be brief and simple. A parenting plan should include the standard parenting schedule, which can include where the child will live during the week and weekends and who will be responsible for taking and picking the child up from school and other activities on certain days. Additionally, the parenting plan can address the holidays, summer vacations, and how other special days during the year will be divided between the parents. Regardless of what is included in your parenting plan it should be predictable, clear, and easy to understand. Further, the parenting plan should take into consideration the needs of the child and reflect his/her overall best interest.

Because the family dynamics vary from family to family there is no one-size-fits-all parenting plan that works well for all families. Some parents may have a shared parenting plan, which allows the child frequent and continuous contact and/or to live with each parent 50% of the time. Other parenting plans may limit one parent’s contact to every other weekend plus a mid-week visit or mid-week overnight. Other parenting plans may be further restrictive allowing for dinner visits but no overnights.

Although it is wise to create a parenting plan that you believe reflects the best interest of your child, it is also wise to consider consulting an attorney to learn where you stand legally on your particular matter before entering into any proposed parenting plan agreement. This is especially important in cases where you believe the other party has ulterior motives or is not working in good-faith to build a parenting plan that truly reflects the overall best interest of your child.

© 2007 Child Custody Coach