When two parents choose to divorce, they must create a parenting plan delineating how they each share the benefits and responsibilities of parenthood. Often, these issues are some of the most difficult to resolve during the divorce process, because many parents feel the need to fight for greater control over their child’s life rather than creating a plan that truly focuses on the child’s needs. A strong parenting plan protects the best interests of the child while establishing healthy boundaries…

When Colorado couples started their families, they probably felt as though their marriages would last forever. Unfortunately, at some point, the marital relationship soured, and one or both spouses decided that divorce would be the best course of action. Even if at least some of those couples want to co-parent, their relationship may not allow them to do so, in which case they may want to consider parallel parenting for their custody and parenting time plans. For those unfamiliar with parallel…

Colorado Allocation of Parental Responsibilities (child custody, visitation and decision-making authority) are frequently complicated and can lead to disputes. Regardless of the relationship between the parents, issues can arise. Resolving these disagreements often hinge on formulating strategies for effective co-parenting. Understanding how to craft a mutually beneficial co-parenting plan requires certain steps. Since scheduling is sometimes problematic, both parents should be flexible with visitation, custody exchanges and other aspects of co-parenting. Even though the court might provide the parents with…

It’s best if you and your spouse can agree on parental responsibilities as you negotiate your divorce, but sometimes that doesn’t happen. What happens then? The first step in Colorado is to file a petition for allocation of parental responsibilities as well as a parenting plan. These plans explain which spouse should be the primary care parent and how you plan to divvy up the decision-making responsibilities. Parenting plans Again, it’s best if you and your spouse can agree on…

Divorce can mean clearing one hurdle after another, and the first holiday season after a split can be a major hurdle for separated parents. New schedule adjustments and holiday stress can make the season feel overwhelming. A thought-out parenting plan can take some of the pressure off both parents during the holidays, and help everyone adjust to the new normal. Some things to include: Coordinating schedules Determine where kids are going to be, and for how long. Discuss any potential trips…