Parenting plans include visitation and a range of other items that must be discussed when the parents live in two different homes. A parenting plan includes when the child will visit each parent, how they will be picked up, and how they will communicate with their parents.
There is often a pickup location for the child when they go from one home to another, and there is a specific schedule that the parents must follow. Putting this schedule in the divorce decree is important because it ensures that everyone will follow that decree. If one parent is not abiding by the decree, it is simple to prove that they have not acted appropriately.
The parenting plans may also include school pickups, holidays, vacations, and travel to meet extended family. It is important for parents to discuss how they will handle these trips because they may have taken these trips as a family in the past. Travel expenses may also need to be discussed because it can be difficult for the family to plan a major trip at the last minute. When the child travels, there should be an agreement about who will accompany the child, any pickups along the way, and how long the trip will last.
Finally, a parenting plan should include a basic set of rules that will help parents understand how the child should be managed. These rules include everything from basic behavior to screen time and homework. Parents should discuss how sleepovers and overnight trips should be handled. Writing these details into the divorce decree ensures that everyone understands the expectations of life after divorce.