3 Parenting Time Issues That Divorcing Parents May Need to Address

 Posted on June 23, 2021 in Divorce

When parents who have minor children decide to end their marriage through divorce, they will need to address multiple issues related to child custody. As parents work to negotiate a parenting plan, they will decide how parenting time (formerly known as visitation) will be divided. While this will entail creating a schedule that states when children will live in each parent’s home or spend time in the care of a parent, parents will also want to make sure other issues related to parenting time are addressed properly.

Additional Parenting Time Concerns

In addition to providing a complete understanding of when children will stay with each parent, a parenting plan can also address rules and issues that affect parenting time, including:

• Communication - Both parents will want to maintain communication with their children, and one parent may want to check in on them while they are with the other parent. However, a parent may be concerned that too much communication with the other parent would interfere with their parenting time, or they may not necessarily want to give the other parent a window into their home. Parents can set rules for the appropriate times for calls between parents and children and the methods of communication they may use (such as phone calls, video calls, text messages, or email).

• Transportation - Parents should be sure the arrangements for transporting children between their homes are fully detailed, ensuring that there will be no confusion about when children will be picked up or dropped off. They may also want to address arrangements for transporting children to and from school or extracurricular activities. It can also be a good idea to detail how parents will notify each other if they will be late to pick up or drop off children due to unforeseen circumstances.

• Right of first refusal - Situations are likely to arise where a parent will be unavailable during their scheduled parenting time, such as because they need to spend extra time at work or because they have a family emergency. It is usually best if children are in the care of a parent whenever possible, so a parenting plan may state that one parent must contact the other and allow them to care for the children rather than hiring a babysitter or leaving children in the care of another family member. When including these terms, parents should decide on the specific circumstances when the right of first refusal is appropriate, such as in situations where either parent will be unavailable for a certain number of hours.

Contact Our Naperville Parenting Time Lawyers

During your divorce, you will need an experienced legal advocate on your side who can help you understand the issues that you will need to address in your parenting plan. The lawyers of Calabrese Associates, P.C. can advise you of your parental rights, and we will work with you to negotiate a parenting plan that protects your children’s best interests and meets your family’s needs. Contact our DuPage County parenting plan attorneys at 630-393-3111 to arrange a confidential consultation today.

Source:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?ActID=2086&ChapterID=59&SeqStart=8300000&SeqEnd=10000000