If you are going through a divorce, your primary concern may be the well-being of your kids. After all, your children may naturally experience anger, anxiety or mild depression as your family changes. To combat these psychological side effects of divorce, you must be emotionally supportive and available for the young ones in your family.
After your divorce concludes, you and your ex-spouse may share custody of your children. If you do, having a comprehensive parenting plan will be in everyone’s best interests. While there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all parenting plan, good ones typically address several important matters.
Education
A parenting plan can address your children’s education. The plan may detail where your kids go to school and which parent is responsible for duties related to academic functions. Remember, because every child is different, your parenting plan may need to cover educational needs that are specific to each of your kids.
Health care
You want your children to be as healthy as possible. In your parenting plan, you may want to outline each parent’s rights and responsibilities for securing health care for the kids. You may also choose to address health insurance, medical providers and special health care accommodations.
Socialization
Your parenting plan may address how you would like your kids to socialize. The plan may address granting permission for social events, paying for extracurricular activities or intervening in your children’s social relationships.
Emotional growth
Young children and adolescents experience emotional growing pains as they age. To help your kids cope with this growth along the emotional fallout from your divorce, you may want to use your parenting plan to foster positive emotional growth. Covering topics like therapy, community participation and religious practices may give you and your children’s co-parent a reasonable framework to follow.
After divorce, children tend to thrive when both parents play an active and caring role in their upbringing. Ultimately, while you may have to make some concessions, negotiating a meaningful and comprehensive parenting plan helps ensure that you and your ex-spouse can be the best possible parents to your kids.