Parallel parenting, as we’ve mentioned in a previous blog, is a method of co-parenting when faced with a high-conflict divorce. It’s a more structured arrangement with limited direct contact between you and your ex-spouse, while retaining a concern for your children’s daily routines and major life decisions. For parallel parenting to benefit everyone, a thorough parallel parenting plan is necessary.
Get our tips for starting a parallel parenting plan, alongside items to include in your plan, prior to consulting a trusted family law attorney for support.
How Do You Start a Parallel Parenting Plan?
For the most part, your family law or custody attorney will pull the weight in drafting a parallel parenting plan as part of the divorce. These plans are often court-ordered if the parents can’t reach an agreement. If not, they’re included as part of a divorce or child custody judgment if it’s decided that you and your spouse aren’t able to effectively co-parent.
You may find that the court includes parallel parenting provisions as part of your contested child custody order. These plans can also be put into effect after the divorce or custody case is finalized, if it becomes clear that the divorce is high-conflict.
Items to Include In Your Parallel Parenting Plan
When drafting your parallel parenting plan, try to be as specific as possible. By being more specific about decisions related to your children’s health, education, general safety, and fair parenting time, your plan can be bulletproof to potential conflicts down the line. For your convenience, we’ve laid out a list of issues to address in your parallel parenting plan:
- The parenting time for each spouse,
- How and where custodial exchanges will take place,
- Rules for rescheduling or canceling parenting time,
- Communication rules, which often call for a third party,
- Plans for holidays, vacations, and how to handle scheduling conflicts,
- How decisions will be made about schooling, activities, health, and more.
Having a structured parallel parenting plan benefits everyone – especially the kids. It can keep conflicts at a minimum, clearing the way for parents to put the focus squarely on those who matter the most: the children.
Draft Your Plan With a Trusted Mission Viejo Divorce Attorney
Divorce is an emotional journey to endure. On top of the bitterness and anger which often result from a formal separation, the subsequent legal battles tend to make the whole process even more painful. At the Law Offices of Jennifer Owens, we revel in the power of choice. When spouses face divorce, they’re presented with a slew of decisions with a handful of potential outcomes. Our attorneys are believers in the best possible outcome, where a former couple chooses peace over destruction, so that they can finally move on to their next chapter. We can help with that. No matter your desired path – divorce mediation, a negotiated settlement, or even litigation – The Law Offices of Jennifer Owens will achieve the best possible outcome by reaching a settlement that keeps all involved parties in mind. Visit our website to review our family law services or contact us online for a free consultation.