One challenging part of child custody is working out an appropriate visitation and parenting schedule. Even when divorce is relatively amicable you and your ex might still be at odds on important issues, including when kids should stay at one home and how to deal extracurricular activities. In this case, the following tips from VeryWellFamily.com can help you and your family devise a schedule that works best.
Keep Logistics in Mind
Parents who share custody and live close to one another often have an easier time. However, you should still keep logistics in mind, especially when it comes to school. Getting kids to and from school can be a real hassle, so be sure your have alternative transportation options in place. You also want to make sure your children are able to attend extracurricular activities they enjoy, as keeping the same routine can be reassuring for children during a divorce.
Don’t Lash Out at Your Ex
At the heart of all visitation schedules is compromise. That means you shouldn’t use the process to lash out at your ex or make things more difficult for him or her. Whatever led up to the divorce is between you and your former spouse, and your children shouldn’t be used as bargaining chips when it comes to those issues.
Ask Your Kids for Input
If your kids are a bit older, try to involve them in parenting and visitation decisions. If they would rather spend certain days of the week with the other parent over the other due to convenience of scheduling conflicts, these decisions can be incorporated into planning to make the process easier for everyone. However, you and your ex can have the final say in all decisions, especially if they’re in the best interest of your child.
