Creating a Child Visitation Schedule

When creating a child visitation schedule, it is important for both parents to be considerate of the wants and needs of each other and their child to prevent unnecessary stress and disruption to their lives. Here are some tips to use when planning a visitation schedule.

Keep Things Amicable

Even though you and your former spouse are no longer married, your child still has two parents. If you and the other parent can keep things agreeable, work together to establish a visitation schedule outside of the courts. This will increase the chances of creating a schedule that works well for both parents.

Court Ordered Visitation

If the court has awarded visitation rights, those rights cannot be modified by the custodial parent without the approval of the courts. The court will only make modifications to a child visitation schedule if there are changes in circumstances since the last order and if those changes are in the best interest of your child. If you feel changes are necessary, you have to motion the court for a hearing and modification order.

Parental Rights

Even if your child favors one parent over the other, you cannot deny or limit the parental rights of the other parent. Both parents have the right to see their child, unless a court has ordered otherwise. Hire a mediator or a family law attorney for assistance in creating a visitation schedule.

Joint Custody

Just because you are divorced, doesn’t mean that your child has to suffer for it. Joint custody helps to minimize the loss of the other parent and helps to strengthen the relationship between both parents and their child. Both parents should create a separate home for their child to live in to minimize the amount of disruption they experience from going back and forth between parents.

Consider a Shared Parenting Schedule

Create a child visitation schedule that works around your child’s school schedule. Consider mid-week visits, having the other parent visit and pick up your child from extracurricular activities and weekend or weeklong visits.

Divorces are extremely stressful for children. Make the transition as seamless as possible by increasing communication to reduce the amount of friction between you and the other parent.

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Matt Kurylo

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