Going through a divorce is difficult for you and your children. Even if dissolving your marriage is the best decision, it can be challenging to move on to the next chapter of your life.
You and your spouse may agree that you want to do what is best for your children. However, you may disagree on the specific decisions that are best for your children. As you work through your divorce, one step will be creating a parenting plan for making decisions for your children.
Here are some key topics to cover in your parenting plan.
Expenses
Between hobbies and activities and clothing and medical care, the bills can add up quickly when it comes to children. As you create your parenting plan, you should think about the expenses you have had over the last two to three years to give you a framework for what to consider, including:
- Health insurance
- Clothing
- Sports
- Food and housing
- Personal care
For some parents, it is easy to dismiss the more minor expenses until the costs start adding up. When you create your parenting plan, you should talk about all categories of expenses, so it is clear which parent is responsible.
Vacation and holidays
Sharing vacation time and specific holidays can be difficult for many parents. In some cases, parents may initially accept the agreement. Still, as it gets closer to a holiday, they have difficulty following through with the plan.
You may know that it is not possible to have custody of the children for every special occasion. Still, when it comes time for the holiday, it can start to feel different. Consider making a plan that changes from year to year so that each parent gets a “turn” during specific special holidays.
Schooling
You may already know you need to work out where your children will go, especially if the divorce means that they need to change schools. In addition to agreeing on a school, you should also discuss your expectations for attendance and maintaining school records.
You and your spouse will need to discuss how you feel about your child missing school for vacations or a day off to rest. You should also discuss how to handle records like report cards and health records.
As you create your parenting plan, it is crucial to understand that you need to compromise on specific topics. When you can prioritize the most important subjects, it may be easier to work with the parenting plan.
