Once your divorce is in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to turn your full attention to the future. If you share children with your ex-spouse, co-parenting will become a big part of your life.
It’s not always easy to get on the same page as your ex, but a parenting plan can go a long way in easing your mind and providing guidance.
A parenting agreement arises from negotiations between you and your ex. Once your decisions are finalized and added to a written agreement, both parents are required by law to follow it.
There’s no shortage of items to include in a parenting agreement, but some of the most important details are as follows:
- Where the children live
- Who has legal custody of the children
- A visitation schedule for the parent who doesn’t have physical custody
- A schedule outlining where the children will spend holidays, birthdays, summer vacations and other special events
- A plan for altering the parenting agreement
- A plan for handling disputes
A parenting agreement doesn’t guarantee the avoidance of post-divorce conflict, but it can definitely help. At the very least, both parents have a clear idea of what they’ve agreed to, providing guidance on what they can and can’t do in the future.
Violation of a parenting agreement
Even if your ex has the best intentions up front, they could still violate your parenting agreement at some point. If this happens, discuss your concerns with them. You may find that it was nothing more than an honest mistake.
If the problem continues, review the terms and conditions of the parenting agreement with your ex. This will show them that you’re serious about following it in the future.
In the event of additional trouble, learn more about your legal rights in Colorado and how to take action against your ex. For example, if the other parent refuses to follow the visitation schedule, the court may decide to alter it.
Divorce is tough on everyone, but you don’t want the process to linger once it’s in the past. This is why it’s so important to create a legally binding parenting agreement.