When you decide to divorce, you should immediately turn your attention to the well-being of your children (if you have any with the other individual).
There is no denying that things will change for your children, but it’s your job to step in and make the transition as seamless as possible. You may face some challenges along the way, but this is to be expected.
There are many steps you can take to make life easier on everyone, and this includes creating a parenting agreement.
With a parenting agreement in place, both parents will have a clear idea of their responsibilities and where they fit in when raising their children.
What should you include?
While no two parenting agreements are exactly the same, here are some things you should think about including:
- The parent who will have physical custody, as this outlines where the children will live
- The parent who will have legal custody (this may be both)
- Where the child will spend holidays, vacations and other special occasions in their life
- A system for communication with other family members, such as step-siblings and grandparents
Other points to consider
If you’re able to make your way through these details, there’s something else to consider: the inclusion of information on how to best deal with changes to the parenting agreement in the future.
You can also include language for settling disputes, as this may be something you need at some point in the future. You can’t assume that you and your ex-spouse will never argue, now that your marriage is in the past, and co-parenting can be a challenge at times.
Keeping your child’s best interests in mind
As you create a parenting agreement, you should always do what’s best for your children. This may mean making compromises that don’t suit what you want, but if it’s right for your children, you should be able to get on board with the idea.
With knowledge of how to create a parenting agreement, as well as your legal rights, you can feel good about the decisions you’re making and the direction you’re headed.
