- They have healthy and happy relationships with both of their parents;
- Parents don’t argue in the presence of their children;
- Parents don’t place their children in the middle of disputes; and
- Both parents are responsive to the needs of their children.
- What decisions need to be made? These commonly consist of decisions regarding education, extracurricular activities, medical treatment, sporting and social activities, religion, etc.
- How will you make the decisions? Will you meet in person to discuss decisions? Will you communicate over the phone? Email? Text?
- How will you share schedules? How flexible do you want to be in scheduling? When will the children see each of their parents? What if one parent is late — how will you deal with this? Will the schedule remain the same as the children get older?
- How will you handle discipline? How can you try to be on the same page when it comes to discipline? How will you communicate when a problem arises? Will each parent handle discipline on his and her own? If a child misbehaves at mom’s house, should he be disciplined by both parents or just mom? If a child misbehaves in class, should she receive discipline from both parents or just the one she is returning home to?
- What will happen in an emergency? Have you provided your ex-spouse with all emergency contact information? Will the parents notify one another before emergency medical treatment?
- How will you handle disputes? If the parents cannot agree on a disciplinary issue, how will you deal with it? Is there a mutually-trusted family member or a friend who can help you discuss the matter? If the disagreement involves a medical decision, can you ask the doctor for guidance and advice? Or, if the dispute is an especially difficult one, will you seek the help of a professional mediator?
Who makes decisions regarding:
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Mom
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Dad
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Together
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HOUSEHOLD RULES & CHILDCARE
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Allowances
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Bedtime
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Clothing
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Grooming
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Computer, software, and video games use
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Television shows (which shows, what time)
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Cell Phone, Computer, & Internet use
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Meals
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Toys
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Handling behavior problems
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RESIDENTIAL
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Living situation
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Transportation
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SOCIAL LIFE
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Dating
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Driving
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Friends
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Sports & Social Activities
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Sharing Cost of Activities
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EDUCATION & MORAL TRAINING
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Morals, values
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Religion
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Choice of Schools
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Helping with homework
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After school care
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Extracurricular Activities &
Expense Sharing
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HEALTH
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Dentist
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Doctor
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Medication
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Major medical issues
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Psychological counseling, if applicable
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- Parents must never use their children as messengers to communicate back and forth;
- All communication must be business-like in nature and relate to information relevant only to the children’s well-being;
- Schedules should be shared via a calendar or in writing;
- No changes to the parenting-time schedule should be made without written agreement.
Whether one decides to co-parent or try out parallel parenting, the main concern should always be what is in the children best interests.
Let's Discuss Your Case - We're Here For You.
When dealing with a family matter issue, you do not have to go at it alone. Schedule your comprehensive attorney consultation now and we can discuss the entire case.
Let's Discuss Your Case - We're Here For You.
When dealing with a family matter issue, you do not have to go at it alone. Give us a call and we can discuss the entire case during a comprehensive attorney consultation.