Divorce can be a stressful and emotional experience for all parties involved, especially when children are in the picture. In many states, including Oregon, courts require divorcing parents to develop a parenting plan as part of the divorce process. A parenting plan is a written agreement that outlines how parents will share custody and make decisions about their children. The parenting plan is an important document that will help parents avoid conflicts in the future and ensure that their children have a stable and healthy relationship with both parents. In this article, we will discuss the role of parenting plans in Oregon divorce cases.
The Importance of a Parenting Plan
Parenting plans are essential for divorcing parents as they help set out the expectations around the children’s daily lives, such as financial support, attendance to scheduled school activities, hygiene care, and time sharing between both parents. A parenting plan is a living document which is necessary to be updated over time, as children get older, their preferences and needs change. Courts always prioritize the interests of the child or children involved in a divorce. Parenting plans are a way of ensuring that children’s best interests are always kept in mind and taken into account as parents proceed through the divorce process.
Key Components of a Parenting Plan
There are several crucial components that your parenting plan should include when going through a divorce. They include:
Custody and Parenting Time
Custody and parenting time refer to the way parents share physical and legal responsibility for their children. Custody refers to the parent with legal responsibility for making major decisions affecting the children’s lives, such as where they attend school, what religion they practice, and their medical needs. Parenting time refers to the time spent with each parent physically. Parents must outline this in the parenting plan, detailing how much time each parent will spend with their children in a given week or month, whether the children will be shared equally between both parents or if they will have a primary custodial parent.
Decision Making Responsibility
Divorcing parents must outline how they will make major decisions affecting their children’s lives. The parenting plan must designate which parent or parents will have the authority to make certain types of decisions, ensuring that both parents are represented when important choices need to be made.
Co-Parenting Communication
Parents must detail how they will communicate with each other and the children. While the parent with custody may have the most responsibility, both parents should have input concerning the children’s daily lives. The parenting plan must establish communication methods and protocols around how decisions will be communicated between parents and with children, particularly when approaching difficult information.
Holidays and Special Occasion Schedules
The parenting plan must also specify how holidays and special occasions will be spent with each parent. The plan should detail visitation schedules, including regular weekends, school breaks, and other special circumstances. Nutshell, Special occasion schedules are particularly important during the holiday season because parents may have different family traditions that they want to share with their children.
Dispute Resolution and Review
Parenting plans should include provisions for resolving disputes that occur concerning the terms of the parenting plan. Dispute resolution processes such as mediation would be included in the parenting plan in case of future issues. Reviews or updates should also be included for situations where a parent or child’s changed circumstances would necessitate an adjustment to the agreed-upon parenting plan (moving out of state, changes to work schedules, remarriage, etc.)
Conclusion
Creating a parenting plan can be challenging, particularly in situations where there are problems that make communication complex. However, it is a worthwhile investment of time and energy when moving through a difficult divorce situation. The parenting plan is an essential part of completing the divorce process in Oregon, and it plays a vital role in ensuring that all the parties involved are taken care of, the children especially. Work with the best divorce attorney you can find to ensure that you create a legally cohesive and sound parenting plan.