Tips For Creating (or Requesting)

a Visitation Schedule

The Foundation: Available Time and Schedules

          What are the work schedules of the parents or a teenager?

          Summer visitation time with each parent (how much vacation time available?)

          Regular visits during the school year.

          Holidays, birthdays, vacations, reunions and extended family events.

          Should you leave anything open “as agreed” between the parents?

For Each Child

            Daycare facility, grandparents or other childcare arrangements.

            Sports, camps, band, and extra-curricular activities.

            Private school or public school?

            Therapy or counseling after divorce or separation of parents. Parents too?

Co-Parenting

          What about legal custody and physical custody?

          Each parent’s discipline methods and rules.

          Unflattering comments about the other parent (or their family) in the child’s presence.

          Telephone calls to each parent and whether a child has a cell phone.

          Communication about homework, school projects, medical issues.

          Virtual visitation (contact by e-mail, Skype, etc).

Mechanics

          Transportation between homes of parents, or where to exchange your child.

          How parents communicate with each other (by text, e-mail, phone, etc.).

          When parents live far apart, what should the travel arrangements be? Should the cost be divided?

          Should there be any restrictions on travel outside of the state or the US?

          Who holds (or obtains) passports?

           Responsibilities of parents who serve in the military?

Lifestyles (Especially Important in Pitt County)

          Religious beliefs and church attendance

          Dating and overnight guests when children are with that parent

          Smoking in the home or car

          Alcohol consumption while a child is there

          Substance abuse and other parenting challenges

See Children’s Bill of Rights, provided by the AAML American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

See Child Custody

Custody X-change software for parents