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Common Provisions to Include in a Parenting Plan
A parenting plan is a vital document in a child custody case, outlining the rights and responsibilities of all parties. You may already be familiar with the division of parenting time and decision-making authority (sometimes called "physical custody" and "legal custody"), but a parenting plan can go into much more detail about how parents work together in a child’s upbringing.
If you need help drafting a parenting plan, a St. Charles, IL family law attorney can provide you with qualified legal advice. At Shaw Sanders, P.C., we have a proven track record of success representing clients in a wide range of difficult family law cases, from contested divorces to emotional child custody disputes.
Resolving Disputes Through a Parenting Plan
Disagreements between parents are normal and sometimes to be expected. For instance, you and your co-parent might disagree about where to send your child to school, or whether or not your child should participate in certain extracurricular activities. Depending on who has decision-making responsibility, one parent may be able to override the other, but in some cases, both parents may have equal say, leading to a deadlock.
A parenting plan can account for future disputes by including terms about how to settle disagreements, such as including a "tiebreaker" clause to quickly resolve the issue. Alternatively, you and your co-parent could agree to settle all major disagreements in mediation to avoid unnecessary conflict.
Outlining Special Occasions and Holidays for Parenting Time
A parenting plan should include a consistent schedule for parenting time throughout the year. While there may be a regular schedule in place, you might make special exceptions for important events like birthdays and other significant dates. Assuming that it does not conflict with your child’s best interests, you and your co-parent should consider how you want to allocate parenting time on these important occasions, such as alternating every year or every holiday.
It may take a long time before you and your co-parent figure out what kind of schedule works for the holidays. Illinois law recognizes that parenting plans must be flexible, allowing parents to modify parenting plans by mutual agreement even if the circumstances have not significantly changed, as long as it has been at least two years since the agreement started (750 ILCS 5/610.5).
Addressing Communication in Your Parenting Plan
In a joint custody arrangement, communication is important. However, some parents work better with formal channels of communication, which could be included as a provision in a parenting plan. For instance, you might agree to only call each other in certain situations, like emergencies, while sticking to text or email the rest of the time. You could also lay out how communication will be handled for parenting time exchanges during pick-ups and drop-offs.
Contact a Kane County, IL Child Custody Lawyer
A parenting plan cannot account for every unexpected issue, but a well-drafted plan can reduce the stress and uncertainty that come with raising a child with another person. At Shaw Sanders, P.C., our St. Charles, IL family law attorneys can assist you in creating and reviewing a parenting plan that reflects your unique circumstances. Call us at 630-584-5550 to set up a free consultation.
630-584-5550