For many families, creating a parenting schedule is very important when co-parenting is involved. Other than deciding which parent spends more nights with the kids, parents must also consider many aspects of their children’s schedule like school events, medical appointments, extracurricular activities, meal times, holidays, bedtimes and so much more.
As a parent, you understand the needs of your children better than anyone else. It is essential to use this knowledge to craft the perfect parenting schedule that will cater to their needs and wants. While the task involves dividing the parenting responsibilities across the two homes. Working together to make these decisions for the child is an excellent start to co-parenting.
One size fits all parenting schedule doesn’t exist. However, there are a few common rotations used by the parents that cater to many different family situations.
Family law attorney has listed these common parenting time rotations if you and your co-parent are deciding on what your family routine should look like.
Biweekly Routine –
A biweekly routine will allow the kids to spend one entire week living with each parent at a time. This routine is a good fit for older kids with busier schedules or if the parents live across their own from one another. Whether the exchanges take place in the middle of the week or on the weekends, you can agree on one time of the week to bring the kids to each home. Parenting plan modification is very important. It is up to you to decide whether you will drop off the kids at each of your homes or will you decide on a location to make the parenting time exchanges.
Biweekly parenting schedules create long stretches of parenting time. Some families, therefore, integrate a mid-week visit or overnight with the other parent. This can be a workable option for parents living close to each other.
Non-50/50 Rotations –
Not every family will divide the parenting time evenly. In such situations, the house of the custodial parent is where the children live the most. The other parent spends time with them during mid-day visitation or for short overnights.
Modifications of the parenting plan schedule for non-50/50 rotation include alternating weekends where the children will spend every other weekend with their parents and return to their primary home on Sunday. You can mention this in the petition to modify the parenting plan Tennessee.
Along with alternating weekends, some families incorporate mid-week visits wherein the kids get to spend some time with their other parent so they don’t go without seeing each other for an entire week. Alternatively, some families incorporate mid-week overnight or an extended alternating weekend. This way, children get more time to spend with their other parents.
2-2-3 Routines –
Just like biweekly routines, schedules involving 2-2-3 routines enable parents to split time with the kids 50/50. In each routine, the parents would have their kids for some days and then would go to the other parent for some days. The cycle goes on from there.
In a 2-2-3 routine, children spend time with one parent for 2 days and then go with the other parent for 2 days. Then the kids come back to the first parent for a 3 day weekend. From there the routine continues but with the other parent having the kid for 2 days flipping the routine.
Family law Knoxville allows these frequent time changes so that the children get to spend quality time with each parent more frequently. Yet, it can sometimes be difficult for parents who don’t live close by to transport their children between homes. Children having a difficult time with making frequent transitions may also have a hard time with this routine.
2-2-5-5 and 3-3-4-4 Routines –
2-2-5-5 and 3-3-4-4 routines are 50/50 schedules that call for frequent transitions. Unlike the 2-2-3 routine, these schedules allow parents and children to spend regular days with one another throughout the week.
In this routine, children stay with the same parent consistently Monday to Thursday while the weekends are variable.
The regularity between the schedules is a bonus here and the long stretches of time where there are no transitions. This makes it easier for the parent to continually attend music lessons, sports practice, and other such events with their child every week.
The bottom line –
Communication is very important. Every family is unique and so are the needs of your children. So, there are a lot of things that you need to know before you modify the parenting plans for your children. The most important thing is to attend to the needs of your children. If you and our co-parent have jobs and other lie variables that you can’t readily adjust to then communication is important.
Keep in touch with your kids if you can’t attend those overnights or spend enough time with them. Video chat is an excellent option and regular messaging to your kids and sharing photos and video to keep the conversation going.
Also, keep a shared calendar with your co-parent and decide on how you can adjust time schedules for your children. If there comes a time for a change, remember to keep your children and their needs first in this new parenting schedule.
Attorneys in Knoxville TN will help you make a parenting schedule that will be easy for your kids to handle and will keep the things smooth for you and your co-parent too.
Contact Volunteer Law firm, family law attorney in Knoxville TN. today to know more about the perfect parenting schedule.
