If you’re going through a divorce and there are kids involved, there’s bound to be a discussion about who’s going to have first custody, and the sort of visits will be scheduled. Research and preparation on this subject are crucial since you don’t want to miss out on the rights you may be granted concerning your children.
Discussing these issues with a lawyer before the signing of any documents is crucial. Here are some things to consider when trying to create a schedule of visits between you and your ex-spouse.
Making a List of Important Things to Remember
You could talk about these aspects with the help of Sydney Law Group or just with your former partner to determine the best solution. It is important to think about the following factors:
* Age of child or children. The general rule of generally speaking, is that the younger the child is, the more evenly divided the time spent with them to provide peace in the child’s life. As they get older, the child is more likely to be able to get less time with their parents as they’ll be a part of their peers and other extracurricular activities.
* The degree of cooperation between co-parents. If the relationship between parents is not excellent, other factors need to be put in place, such as gathering at a neutral spot to pick up children.
* The possibility for one parent to make their schedule flexible. If one parent is more likely to travel between work and home and home, they’ll likely be less likely to have time to visit. It’s best to do what’s fair for both parents and their children.
Also, these issues must be discussed with all parties to ensure that the well-being of children is being taken care of. This should not be about one parent taking revenge on the other.
Placing kids at the center rather than in the middle
There’s no need for a child to be compared with any parent. A divorce is the separation of the spouses, and children shouldn’t be kept in the dark about the specifics of the divorce. A few things to bear in mind to make this as easy as possible include:
* Utilizing shared calendaring to create blended custody schedules, so there’s never any confusion or need to debate;
* Inquiring about the exchange of gifts for the holidays and recording children’s pickups to ensure that all children get an equal time with the children.
* Keeping court-admissible records such as transcripts, documents, and other materials to ensure that the conditions under which the visitor is clearly stated;
* Resolving disputes through professionally trained mediators who are trained to reduce stress, primarily for children
* Tracking expenses and making requests to your co-parents, particularly when one parent has the primary custody.
How to Make a Visitation Schedule: Physical vs. Legal Custody
Many people mistake the two terms, but there is a distinct difference. The child is placed in physical custody throughout the times of the day. Legal custody is the obligations that come with any important decision-making regarding the child’s development, including their health, religious development as well as their education. Nowadays, it is more typical for divorced parents to be granted 50/50 physical custody of their children.
Finding out what is best for everyone that are involved, including children, involves lots of discussion and balancing the scales to ensure that everyone is satisfied. Do not leave it to chance and consult with an attorney to help you determine the specifics of your visitation contract.
