Visitation

Protecting Your Relationship and Your Time with Your Children

When going through a divorce or having disagreements with your ex, issues that involve your children are undoubtedly going to be the most difficult to overcome. In most cases, both parents are going to want to have as much time as possible with their children, and any time that they aren’t together is going to be difficult to bear. Children can only be in one place at once, however, and they have other obligations that they need to meet as well (school, sports, ect). This is why establishing a fair child custody arrangement is so critical.

Establishing or Updating Visitation Schedules

When working to create or update a visitation schedule, both parties should put the interests of the children first. For example, unless there is some sort of abuse or neglect, both parents should want to encourage a positive and health relationship between the child and the other parent. Due to the emotionally charged nature of these situations, however, that is not always how it goes. This is why it is important to have an attorney working on your behalf, and why the courts may need to be involved.

Whether it is a judge, a mediator, or just the couple that is trying to come up with the right solution for a visiting schedule, there will be lots of factors that need to be considered. With each factor, everyone involved should look at how it will benefit (or harm) the child, and make decisions based on that information. The following are some of the most important areas of concern:

  • Hours in the Day – There are only so many hours in the day, and the visitation schedule must account for them all.
  • Other Obligations – Kids need to attend school, athletics, see friends, and much more. All of these can be factored in when creating a visitation schedule.
  • Health of Parents – If a parent suffers from physical or mental health issues, they may not be able to properly care for the child (especially younger children). This will be factored into parenting time schedules.
  • Parent work Schedules – In almost all cases, one or both of the parents will be working. Their schedules can be a major factor in this process.
  • Desires of Children – While the desires of the children aren’t going to be the deciding factor, they can be very important (especially with older children).
  • Parents Location – When parents live far apart, it will definitely impact the visitation schedule.

There can be many other things that can influence a visitation schedule. Having an attorney that can look at the whole picture, and craft a case that will help ensure the safety and well-being of your children, while also promoting a positive relationship with both parents, is critical. Contact us to talk about your options, and begin working on establishing the best possible visitation schedule for you and your kids.