Today’s families are more diverse than ever. This means that traditional solutions that work for a lot of people may not make sense for other people.
There is certainly room for creativity and non-traditional solutions, particularly when it comes to custody schedules and parenting plans. However, they are still subject to state laws and guidelines, so it can be important to think carefully about creative custody plans.
Do you need to get creative?
There is a reason why so many people have traditional custody plans: they work a traditional Monday through Friday, 9-to-5 type job. In many cases, sharing 50/50 custody or having weekend visitation is what is going to work best for those families. However, if this approach does not work for your family, then you may need to get creative.
This could be the case if you or the other parent is on-call, works odd or long hours, or if one of you travels a lot. In these situations, you may need to consider an alternative visitation schedule or a parenting plan that provides clear direction on backup plans and procedures.
What guidelines are there?
No matter how creative or traditional your custody schedule turns out to be, it should still reflect the best interests of your child. It should also ensure the rights of both parents are observed, and the schedule should be clearly defined in an enforceable, legally binding parenting plan.
Discussing your plans with an attorney
Creating a custody and visitation schedule can be more difficult than you expect, particularly when you are dealing with factors that require more creativity and flexibility on parents’ parts.
This does not mean you should give up or assume you have to leave these decisions up to a judge. With the help and guidance of an attorney, you can still create an individualized parenting plan outside of court. A legal representative can help you examine all the possible options and put into place a lawful plan that best meets your needs and the needs of your family.