Modify Your Parenting Plan for 2015 Modify Your Parenting Plan for 2015
Constantly stressed by your parenting plan? It may be time to modify.
Parenting schedules and holiday schedules that are no longer working can add stress to both parents and kids, creating an uncomfortable and emotionally explosive situation for everyone.
It’s January; the holidays are over, and life is now back to normal. However, you may have had a difficult holiday, and that difficulty may have been because of your parenting time schedule.
The law allows modification of an existing parenting time schedule as well as your holiday schedule. Courts can modify parenting plans if the modification is in the best interests of the child.
The only limiting factor is that a court cannot restrict one parent’s time unless that parent is physically or emotionally endangering the child in some way, or unless the parties agree to restrict one parent’s time.
Commonly, parenting plans begin to become ineffective when children grow older, and their activities start to take over. As this happens, children may need more control over their schedules, which parenting plans often do not take into consideration.
Additionally, changes in family circumstances, such as loss or change of employment, remarriage, change in residence, and a change in children’s school can trigger the need to modify your parenting plan.
If your parenting plan is no longer meeting your family’s needs, a good first step is to speak with the other parent about what changes would be good for the kids, as well as yourself.
Ideally, both of you will realize that the parenting plan is not working and will be able to talk about some ideas for changes that would alleviate the problems.
If you both know there is an issue with the current parenting plan, but cannot talk about a resolution, scheduling a mediation session is a good starting point to see if you can reach some agreements.
Our attorneys can advise you on ideas for changes to the parenting plan that would make things better for yourself and the children. How to proceed with changing your parenting plan, and what to do if the other parent is refusing to make changes that you believe are necessary and in your children’s best interests.
Contact us for a consultation on modifying your parenting plan. Call us.
Related Blogs Posts