6 Essential Elements for Your Parenting Plan
Plan for Whatever the Future Holds
Parenting plans can help coparents outline how they will raise their children. The documents vary in length and specificity but work best when they contain clear parenting protocols. Consider these elements when brainstorming your plan.
- Clear Goals for Your Plan
Take the time to identify what your plan as a whole is meant to accomplish. If you specify goals like protecting your child’s best interest and maintaining open communication, it can make the smaller day-to-day decisions easier, as you’ll simply act in accordance with the larger goal.
- Appropriate Discipline and Rewards
Rewarding, disciplining, and simply parenting a child who divides their time between two different households can be difficult. Decide which punishments or incentives are appropriate, and whether you will collaborate on these decisions when the time comes.
- Medical Decisions
Medical emergencies are abrupt and often require quick answers. By agreeing on certain care now, you can avoid some of the stress at the time of an emergency. Consider how you want to communicate during a crisis, what to do in the event that a needed surgery presents a risk, and more.
- Educational Decisions
Coparents should outline their involvement in their child’s educational future. They can use their plan to agree upon:
- How extracurricular costs will be divided
- Whether the child will attend private or public school
- Whether the child will take extra religion, language, or cultural classes
- Whether the parents will each set aside money for the child’s college education
- Who will attend parent-teacher conferences
- Childcare Solutions
Some parents opt to include provisions for childcare. This could include requirements for either parent to, if they become busy, ask the other to watch their child before reaching out to a babysitter. Such a clause could help you each maximize the time you spend with your child.
- Holiday Plans
Your parenting plan will include your visitation schedule. This is where you and your coparent will decide who will spend which holidays and birthdays with the children. You can also detail drop-off and pick-up agreements and how to request a swap of special days.
Our lawyers will carefully listen to your needs and goals to help you create a parenting plan that benefits your family. Contact us today for more information.
