Establishing a Parenting Plan

The Process of Establishing a Parenting Plan

The parenting plan is your “operator’s manual” for separately parenting your children in the future after the divorce. It contains the agreements you make about how you will carry out the details of when and how you will operate as divorced parents.

During your discussions about establishing a parenting plan, the two of you will discuss:

  • Your individual needs as parents
  • Set up a schedule for exchanging the children
  • Figure out what to do about various child-related issues (education, health care, dating and remarriage, communication between you and your spouse as separate parents, and so on)
  • Plan for special circumstances
  • Choose custody labels

In this area, here are a few of the questions you will need to answer:

  • Where does each of you think the children should live?
  • Where should they go to school?
  • Is it very important that they maintain continuity with their friends, and if so, how can that be accomplished?
  • What kind of back-and-forth arrangement between you and your spouse will work best for each of you?

Find out about Guided Do-It-Yourself

Find out about Assets, Liabilities, and Cash Flow

Find out about Your Own Future Plans