Significance of Parenting Plan in a GA Divorce

When spouses decide to go their separate ways, issues concerning children pose problems. Decisions regarding safety of child, where he would stay, who will raise him, who will take routine decisions etc would gain importance. A divorce is emotionally taxing for all those involved especially the children. Parents have to solve many issues regarding child custody, child support, visitation rights etc. Many parents feel frustrated and stressed out by handling these problems for days on end.

Many people are opting to work on a parenting plan that would be followed once the divorce is finalized. These plans can be worked out alone too. The plans are drawn up with issues connected with child and should reflect your ideas of safety and development that you child should enjoy.

Parenting plans are documents that give detailed outlines of parenting schedule and would also have mention of responsibilities of each towards the child. The plans can be brief too but should include the following:

• Standard parenting schedule with mentions when visitations would be allowed, who will pick up and drop the child from school and extracurricular activities that the child should attend etc.
• Address holidays and vacations and decide how these would be divided between the parents.
• The plans should be simple and easy to understand.
• Should have been drawn up with welfare of child as basis and in best interest of child.

Parenting plans can be drawn up personally by parents and hence would be able to address the minutest of problems. These plans are drawn up specifically for each family according to their specific problems. Some families may decide on shared parenting where they can be in constant contact with child while there are families who would be working around visitation routines for non custodial parent where parent can meet the child every weekend. Sometimes mid week visits or mid week overnight visit can be arranged after discussion with custodial parent and inculcating it in the parenting plan. Even restrictions can be added wherever parents feel necessary.

It is always better to consult an attorney and clarify legal standing before proceeding for preparation of parenting plan. The idea is to create a parenting plan that would be in best interest of child and hence would not face objections in court. Taking legal advice from a professional is mandatory in such ventures.

Advantages of a Detailed Parenting Plan

A detailed parenting plan touching all aspects of parenting post divorce would make the routines easier on everyone involved. Since the schedules are drawn up by people who are going to act on them, they would be more obliged to stick with them. The parents also would be able to exercise civility and have fewer misunderstandings.