Parenting Apart

When parents live together, they raise their children together. When one parent is busy, working or sick, the other is usually there for the children. When one parent is angry or depressed, the other can step-in to protect their children and act in their best interest. This parental team allows parents to complement each other's strengths and weaknesses and insulate the children from any harm.

But when separation or divorce enters the horizon, this alliance is broken. The arrangement that allowed you to work together has changed and the old system is gone.

Now, you must create a new model from which to raise the children. In Massachusetts, the courts refer to this arrangement as a "parenting plan." It simply means that you have to identify the specific parenting issues and decide how to handle them.

The issues generally break-out into two categories - decision-making issues and living arrangements. While there are a number of advantages to making this plan, when you create one you will reduce conflict, increase fairness, account for the uniqueness of your situation and avoid court.

If you are contemplating a parenting plan for your family or have one that needs updating, call us for some direction. We have over 100 issues that we address. Clearly, your situation won't have a need for all 100, but I'd bet there are situations that we've come across that your knowing how to handle it in advance will prevent problems later!