Parenting Plan Template
It can be difficult to know where to start when creating a parenting plan.
You want to make sure that you have everything important in your plan and that you don't leave anything out.
To help you, here are the parts of a basic parenting plan template.
1.
Custody and Visitation schedule.
You need to make a custody and visitation schedule.
This includes a basic cycle of repeating custody--like alternating weeks of custody, a 3/3/4/4 joint custody split, alternating weekends with one overnight per week, etc.
This schedule should also include holidays and vacation time.
Come up with a list of holidays and assign custody to each one.
Be sure that you include the length of the holiday and the times the custody starts.
You can also include any special events where you know the custody changes.
2.
Vacation Time.
If you assign an exact week of vacation to each parent, you can put that right in the custody and visitation schedule.
However, if you just want to make sure that each parent can take a vacation, you can put an unspecified vacation clause into your parenting plan.
The unspecified vacation states that either parent can take the children for so many days a year with so many days notice to the other parent.
3.
Parenting Provisions.
The parenting provisions are any rules that you want the parents to follow as they raise the children.
This could be something like you get notified within a week when the other parent's address changes, both parents pay for extracurricular activities, both parents have a say in what religion the child practices, or that the other parent is notified if one parent gets the child a passport.
Think of some things that are important to you and put them in the plan.
4.
Time-share Percentage Calculations.
Some parenting plans include the time-share percentage that each parent has with the children.
This is the exact time that each parent has.
This can help each parent feel the agreement is fair.
These are the basics that a parenting plan should have.
You can follow the simple template, and you can also add anything that would benefit you and your child.
The important thing is to create something that works for your situation.
You want to make sure that you have everything important in your plan and that you don't leave anything out.
To help you, here are the parts of a basic parenting plan template.
1.
Custody and Visitation schedule.
You need to make a custody and visitation schedule.
This includes a basic cycle of repeating custody--like alternating weeks of custody, a 3/3/4/4 joint custody split, alternating weekends with one overnight per week, etc.
This schedule should also include holidays and vacation time.
Come up with a list of holidays and assign custody to each one.
Be sure that you include the length of the holiday and the times the custody starts.
You can also include any special events where you know the custody changes.
2.
Vacation Time.
If you assign an exact week of vacation to each parent, you can put that right in the custody and visitation schedule.
However, if you just want to make sure that each parent can take a vacation, you can put an unspecified vacation clause into your parenting plan.
The unspecified vacation states that either parent can take the children for so many days a year with so many days notice to the other parent.
3.
Parenting Provisions.
The parenting provisions are any rules that you want the parents to follow as they raise the children.
This could be something like you get notified within a week when the other parent's address changes, both parents pay for extracurricular activities, both parents have a say in what religion the child practices, or that the other parent is notified if one parent gets the child a passport.
Think of some things that are important to you and put them in the plan.
4.
Time-share Percentage Calculations.
Some parenting plans include the time-share percentage that each parent has with the children.
This is the exact time that each parent has.
This can help each parent feel the agreement is fair.
These are the basics that a parenting plan should have.
You can follow the simple template, and you can also add anything that would benefit you and your child.
The important thing is to create something that works for your situation.
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