A parenting schedule in a custody order determines when children are with each of their parents. Some parents view their parenting time as an option rather than as a right and a responsibility.
A parent who already has less time with the children than the primary caregiver in the family might routinely cancel overnight visits and weekends with the children. When cancellations become a pattern, not an anomaly, the other parent may need to consider taking the matter back to family court to request a custody order modification.
Why alter a custody order?
There are two compelling reasons to ask a judge to update a custody order based on how frequently a co-parent makes use of their parenting time. The first is for the protection of the children. Feelings of parental rejection can trigger a decline in self-esteem, the development of depression and other mental health challenges.
Even when a parent has an explanation for constantly canceling their time with their kids, the children are likely to internalize those cancellations and develop a profound sense of rejection. Therefore, limiting the other parents’ opportunities to disappoint and hurt the children could be in their best interests.
The second reason is for the protection of the other parent. They may have to scramble for last-minute child care or call in personal favors. Those inconveniences can snowball into a very frustrating situation.
When judges are aware of a substantial change in family circumstances, such as one parent failing to make use of the time they insisted that they wanted with their children, the court can modify the existing custody order. Reducing a co-parent’s time with children could ultimately benefit the primary caregiver and the children by minimizing disruptions caused by canceled parenting time.