It’s one thing to determine who gets child guardianship rights after a divorce or how they’re going to be split, but you may also want to sit down and draft a parenting plan. This plan lays out different rules for raising your children, and it allows you and your spouse to agree on any number of things in advance.
For example, who is going to take the child on holidays? You don’t want to wait until two days before Christmas to realize that both you and your spouse assumed you’d get the child. This can lead to a lot of emotional turmoil and really strain the relationship — and it makes life far worse for the child. If you agree in advance and know what to expect, though, life is a lot easier for all involved.
Parenting plans can include things like what happens if one of you moves, who the child stays with in the summer when school is out and who gets to be with the child on his or her birthday. It can also address who is responsible for taking the child to school or to extra-curricular activities, what religion the child will grow up with and which doctor will be seen.
In essence, you are just addressing the things that all parents need to address at one point or another. Your situation just has special considerations since you’re divorced, and these must be accounted for. Good communication is definitely in the best interests of your child.
If you’d like to learn more about creating an official parenting plan in British Columbia, please take a look at our page.