Creating an effective parenting plan to share custody of children is one of the most important issues to address during your divorce. It can be difficult to come to an agreement with your ex, but studies show that children do best when their parents work together. Parents in Pennsylvania should follow a few ground rules to make sure that their children’s well-being is the biggest priority in their custody arrangement.
It can be tempting to push for the most time possible with your kids. It’s natural to be scared going into this new season of your life, but keep in mind that children do best when they have a strong relationship with both parents. Your children’s relationship with you won’t be harmed by their relationship with their other parent. Though it can feel like it at times, it’s not a competition between you and your ex-spouse. When you sit down to work out a parenting time schedule, take into account work schedules as well as school and extracurricular schedules.
In addition to considering everyone’s schedule, it’s important to consider the age of the children. Young children rarely do well with an alternating-week schedule, which can work for older teens. The younger the child, the more frequent the transitions should be, but this may be more inconvenient for the parents. A great example of a workable joint custody schedule for young children is the 2-2-3 plan where the children spend two days with one parent, two days with the other and then three days back with the first. The next week, it flips to keep equal time with each parent.
If you are going through a divorce and are concerned about custody and visitation, a lawyer with experience in family law may help you. Drafting a parenting plan that is in the children’s best interest can be complicated, so an attorney may be able to advise you on a course of action.
