You have to take special consideration in what you include in a custody and visitation agreement – otherwise, you may be missing out on important parts of your children’s lives.
When planning out a child custody agreement’s visitation rights with your co-parent, you need to address (at minimum) the following:
1. A visitation schedule
You and your co-parent will have specific times when you each see your kids. You’ll likely have to work around both your and your co-parent’s work schedules.
Some parents will see their children every other week or only on the weekends. If there’s a specific day you want to spend time with your children, then you may need to voice your concerns.
2. Holiday visitation rights
Depending on your family’s beliefs, you celebrate many holidays throughout the month – your co-parent, however, may or may not celebrate the same holidays. What works best for your family is something that’s uniquely tailored to your own customs and needs.
You may want to include school events and birthdays in the visitation plan. You can even agree to split the holidays with your spouse and come together and “share” other special events.
3. Vacation time schedules
You may enjoy taking your kids out on vacation each year. You may want to continue this tradition after planning out a custody agreement. If you have special plans to take your kids on vacation then you may need to bring up the topic with your co-parent or have a set week or two built into your visitation plan.
Child custody orders can make or break your relationship with kids. You may need to know your options when debating how a child custody order is detailed.