Many people who are going through a divorce share children, which means that a child custody agreement must be made. Being able to put the needs of the kids first while they come up with the child custody plan might be a challenge, but this is one of the things that must be decided before the divorce is finalized.
It’s important to remember that the needs of the children are the primary focus in the parenting plan. You and your ex will have to put your own wishes aside and work on finding ways to do what’s best for the children. It might not be easy to let the past go, but it can help a great deal when you’re trying to work out these matters.
One thing that you can’t do is try to sway the court’s decision about what needs to happen by trying to make your ex look bad. This is likely going to backfire, and it can cause problems in the parenting relationship. The only times you need to bring up these matters are when there is a safety issue for your children, which is possible if there was abuse or something similar in the picture.
As you think about the terms of the parenting plan, make sure you’re being realistic. Sometimes, rules might seem like a good idea when you’re discussing them but you have to be able to follow and enforce them. You should also be sure that you aren’t proposing anything or agreeing to terms that could be misconstrued. Having everything in the plan clearly spelled out is beneficial to everyone involved.
