When Minnesota residents with children decide to split up, one of the most important things they need to do is create a parenting plan. This document outlines how custody and visitation get handled moving forward. It can be difficult to come up with a parenting plan that works for everyone, but you can increase your chances of success by doing the following.
Have an open mind
It’s important to be open-minded when creating a parenting plan. You may not get everything you want, but you need to be willing to compromise in order to create a plan that works for everyone. For instance, you may need to be flexible on things like visitation days and times or holidays.
Communicate clearly
You need to be clear about how you will communicate with each other about things like visitation, school and extracurricular activities after divorce. It’s important to have a system in place so that there are no misunderstandings. You can decide to communicate via text, email or phone call. You may also want to be clear about how often you will communicate.
Put your child’s needs first
Your parenting plan should be based on what is best for your child. You need to think about things like their age, schedule and interests when making decisions about custody and visitation. For example, you may need to adjust your visitation schedule if your child has after-school activities.
Get input from your child
If your child is old enough, you should get their input on the parenting plan. They may have a preference for which parent they want to live with or how often they see each other. It’s important to take their wishes into consideration when creating the plan.
Creating a parenting plan can be challenging, but it’s important to make sure that it is in the best interest of your child. By following these tips, you can increase your chances of success. Just remember to take things one step at a time and to be patient; with a little bit of effort, you can create a parenting plan that works for everyone.