Visitation Schedules Can Meet Family Needs

Divorcing parents in Charlotte may wonder how to best set up a child custody or visitation schedule that meets the needs of both parents and the children. While child custody may be one of the most contentious issues handled in the divorce, a clear parenting plan can help to ease the road ahead for the entire family. There are some particularly common arrangements for visitation, but in all cases, the particular needs of the family involved are the most important, especially when work schedules are complex or non-traditional.

Parents going through a divorce may be directed by the court to develop a parenting plan in order to implement child custody decisions. A visitation schedule is used when one parent has primary custody of the child; the time spent with the non-custodial parent is considered visitation.

One of the most common visitation schedule has the child spend every other weekend at the non-custodial parent’s home. In most cases, this time could begin on Friday evening after school and end on Sunday evening. This kind of schedule can work best for parents with a typical Monday-through-Friday work schedule and can also accommodate former spouses who live some distance apart from one another. Other options can be considered to meet the needs of changing work schedules or when the parents live close to one another. For example, additional weeknight visits could be added, or visitation could take place on weekdays rather than weekends.

Parents who are going through divorce may initially find that navigating the framework of child custody and visitation can be confusing and emotional. A family law attorney may provide advice and representation throughout the process to help a divorcing parent protect their relationship with their children and achieve a fair settlement on an array of divorce matters, including child custody, spousal support and property division.