Determine How Detailed You Need a Child Custody Agreement

The child custody agreement that you have with your ex is where you should be able to turn when you have questions about any related matters. While there are some people who can use a relaxed and informal child custody agreement, many people need as much detail as possible.

When you are trying to determine what you need to include in your child custody agreement, think about how well you and you ex can work together. If you think that you do need a detailed arrangement, here are some points to consider:

Child exchange

You might not want to rely on only a date or day of the week to determine when child custody exchanges will occur. Having a detailed plan, which can include an exchange time and location, can help to stave off issues in the future. Remember, it is usually best for the parent who has the child to drop the child off at the other parent’s location since this gives the child a bit of a transition time instead of having to wait around until he or she is picked up.

School days

If the child exchange is taking place on a school day, think carefully about how this will be handled. A child who has clothing and other items at both homes might be able to be dropped off at school by one parent and then picked up by the other parent. Having this in the custody agreement can make it easier to plan. Make sure that you let the child know what the plans are before school on the exchange days.

Holidays

Children who are in school will have breaks for holidays and the summer. Including specific information about who will have the child on what days during these periods. For example, one parent might have the child on Christmas Eve and the other parent has the child on Christmas Day. When will this exchange take place? Will the parent who has the child on Christmas Eve drop him or her off after dinner or will the exchange take place after breakfast on Christmas morning?

It isn’t always easy to iron out these details with your ex. If you can get them handled now, you won’t have to try to work something out with him or her each time the child moves from one house to the other. Of course, you still need to leave room for small changes since plans might not always work out exactly as expected.

Related Links:

• 3 Ways to facilitate peaceful child custody exchanges
• Challenges unmarried parents face in child custody situations
• Choosing a child custody schedule can be complicated
• Divorcing Fathers: Understand the Many Types of Child Custody
• Do children have a say in custody arrangements?