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Wyatt Hardy, PLC

Criminal, Family and Probate Law

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Wyatt Hardy, PLC

Criminal, Family and Probate Law

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Which parenting plan works best for joint custody?

On Behalf of | May 14, 2022 | Family Law

When a marriage ends involving children, most parents worry about their children’s ability to adapt. How do they choose the right parenting plan for their kids? While your parenting plan depends on your specific family, Moms offers parenting advice for joint custody parents.

When it comes to your parenting plan, consider your family’s unique needs.

Forget the typical alternating weeks’ schedule

In the past, many parents believed that a 50/50 split with one week off and one week on worked best for children. When your kid stays with one parent for one week and the other the next, your child may experience more separation anxiety. If you and your former spouse can work out a different schedule, you may want to consider something else. For example, some people choose to have kids spend two days with one parent, two days with the other, then three days with the first parent and switch each week.

Focus on your child’s needs rather than fairness

It may seem more manageable for you and your spouse to track a week-on and week-off schedule, but it may not work well for your kids. When you focus too much on what feels fair for you and your spouse, you may forget to think about what your kids need. A week is a long time away from one parent, especially for younger kids. Try to think of what would help the relationship between your kids and their parents.

When it comes to different parenting schedules, your relationship with your ex may also matter. For instance, if you have a tense relationship with your co-parent, a split schedule may be more difficult throughout the week.