Parents that divorce need to create an effective parenting plan

By LegalMatters Staff • Divorced or separated parents must draw up a parenting plan that details how important decisions will be made about their children, such as where they will go to school and which parent they will live with.

“When creating such a plan, you do not have to use legal terminology such as ‘parenting time’ or ‘decision-making responsibility,” says Edmonton family lawyer Jaskiran Bawja. “Use terms such as ‘custody’ and ‘access’ if you are more comfortable with that language.”

She also recommends that parents consult a family lawyer to ensure they understand their legal rights and responsibilities, since family law is complex.

“The parenting plan should set out how you and your spouse will communicate to decide on ongoing issues such as schooling, travel, contact information and medical issues,” says Bawja. “Email or text messages are good options if there is tension between the parents.”

Since children cannot be expected to bring all their clothes and toys from one parent’s home to the other on an ongoing basis, the parents may need to agree to purchase additional clothing and furniture, and entertainment units for each house, she says.

“Your parenting plan should include a process for reviewing arrangements at regular intervals since your children’s needs will change as they get older,” says Bawja. “Some plans call for a mediation service or other family dispute resolution process to be used if there is no agreement on proposed changes.”