United in Caring for Children
A parenting plan is an agreement that separating parents develop together about how they will share parenting time and the day to day responsibilities of parenting, as well as how parents will communicate and make decisions on important matters regarding their children. Each parenting plan is customized and unique to each family, and incorporates flexibility so that the plan evolves with the needs and dynamics of the family over time. The guiding principle of all parenting plans is what is in the best interest of the children.
Creating a Structure for Parents and Children
A thorough parenting plan will provide a structure to help the parents deal with a wide variety of issues regarding their children, including:
- Schedules: The plan outlines the parents’ agreement regarding the children’s schedule, such as living arrangements, the sharing of holidays and other times and events important to each family, transportation between homes, children’s activities, childcare and babysitting arrangements, travelling, and changes to the parenting schedule.
- Decision Making: The parenting plan addresses decision making with respect to the children’s medical and dental care, education, extracurricular activities, religion, culture, school, living arrangements and mobility issues.
- Effective Communication: The parenting plan describes specific modes of communication that will support co-parenting and avoid or minimize conflict between the parents.
- Extended Family: When possible, the plan includes a discussion of the inclusion of extended family in the lives of children and managing appropriate information to be shared between children and extended family.
- Introduction of New Partners: The plan includes a discussion on how to introduce a new relationship to the children. It creates a process that keeps at the forefront the well-being and emotional needs of the children.
Helping Children Thrive
An effective and comprehensive parenting plan is adaptable to the life changes and developmental needs of children. It assists in improving the communication and decision-making skills of the parents, and it provides clear and effective guidelines for the parents to follow with the overall goal of helping children to thrive in the midst of the separation or divorce, and long afterwards. Divorce Coaches remain a resource to the family to help if the need arises in the future.
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