As the years go by, schedules change. When you and your spouse first divorced, your children were younger. Taking your kids to ballet classes and peewee football practice turned into school activities and wanting to hang out with friends.
Life events may alter visitation schedules. Planning to modify when you can see your children may not only have to do with the change in their routines but in yours. Several reasons may trigger adjusting the schedule.
Reasons for change
To modify the custody order, you must demonstrate the need for it. The family court will always want you to have your children’s interest at heart, and you will have to show this.
Common reasons to change your parenting plan are:
- Change in job
- Remarriage
- Changing your children’s schools or school schedules
- Adverse effects on the children because of the current plan
- More age-appropriate schedules as your children get older
Although Arkansas may not have a lot of laws about custody scheduling, if you decide to modify the arrangement, the court may take a closer look at why you want the change. The court wants to continue to provide stability and positive development for the children.
Relocation as a factor
If you find your ex-spouse is relocating with the children, be aware that the Arkansas court does not consider relocation by itself as justification for a change in custody. As the noncustodial parent, the burden is on you to show the court the reason for modifying the schedule.
The court, however, considers the following:
- Reason for the relocation
- Visitation schedule for the noncustodial parent
- The effect of the move on extended family relationships
Considering the age and maturity of your children, the court may talk to them about what they want concerning a new visitation schedule. You may also want to talk to the children to get their input and opinion before deciding to modify the custody arrangement.
