Creating an Effective Parenting Plan During your Collaborative Divorce

If you have chosen to end your marriage through the collaborative divorce process, you are in the driver’s seat when it comes to your divorce. Rather than having the court make the decisions , the people making the decisions regarding the issues in your case are you and your spouse with the guidance and assistance of your collaborative team, putting you in control.

It can be difficult to separate your emotions from the necessity of working cooperatively to develop a parenting plan, but a parenting plan  is a crucial part of the divorce process for any couple with children. Keep the following in mind to make the process easier for you, and do not hesitate to ask your lawyer for guidance when you need it.

In a Collaborative Divorce, you and your Spouse are a Team

You and your spouse begin to co-parent when you start working on your parenting plan. Even though your marriage is over, your relationship with your child’s other parent is not. Think of him or her as a teammate, rather than a rival, when you are developing a parenting plan and in the years that follow, when the plan is actually in place. Being able to cooperate with each other and model constructive conflict resolution will benefit your child.

An Effective Parenting Plan Puts the Child’s Best Interests First

Your child’s best interests should always be the top priority when you develop a parenting plan. Considerations to make include:

• Your child’s medical needs;
• His or her relationship with each parent and the members of each parent’s household, such as extended family members and other children;
• Your child’s academic needs;
• Your child’s personal needs, such as extracurricular needs;
• Each parent’s financial ability to provide for your child; and
• How other terms of your divorce settlement might impact a parenting plan, such as which spouse retained the marital home.

Your Professional Team will assist with Developing your Parenting Plan

Sometimes, it can be difficult to make determinations about what is truly in your child’s best interest on your own. In cases like this, the mental health neutral selected to be part of your collaborative team will assist with putting together a parenting plan which takes your child’s emotional and developmental growth into consideration. These individuals cannot create your parenting plan for you, but they can help you create a parenting plan that suits your child’s best interests. Your lawyer can help you find the right professional for this role.

Work with an Experienced Orlando Divorce Lawyer

Working with a compassionate, knowledgeable Orlando divorce lawyer can make a difference in how your collaborative divorce progresses. To learn more about working with Goodblatt • Leo to complete your divorce, contact our office today to set up your initial consultation with us. We can answer all of your questions and guide you toward productive choices for your collaborative divorce.

Resource:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0061/Sections/0061.13.html