Creating A Parenting Plan

When parents divorce or separate, a parenting plan may be created to establish where a child will spend his or her time, where the child will spend holidays, how parental responsibilities are allocated, how decisions are made, and much more. As Robert Frost said, “good fences make good neighbors,” and a strong and detailed parenting plan is the cornerstone of a good co-parenting relationship. While you may not always follow the plan, it serves to set the rules and boundaries when a dispute arises so that you can resolve it quickly without resort to more lawyers and courtrooms.

At Scardina Law, we use the latest social science and our wealth of experience when helping create parenting plans that reach our clients’ individual familial needs. Our priority is to help our clients create workable parenting plans that benefit the child or children involved while reducing opportunity for future disputes.

To shedule a time to meet with an attorney, please call 720-420-9068

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to creating a parenting plan. Each family is different – and each child has different needs. The parenting plan should be created to reflect the unique circumstances and needs of the child and parents.

Colorado law determines questions of parenting time and decision making based on the “best interests of the child.” The law instructs courts and parents to consider specific factors in determining what is in the child’s best interests, including:

• The parents’ wishes
• The child’s wishes if he or she is mature enough to express a reasoned opinion
• The age of the child (or children)
• The educational, spiritual and social needs of the child
• The living situation of each parent
• The ability of each parent to provide care for the child (mental health or The parents’ wishes
• substance abuse problems will be considered)
• When there is more than one child involved, the needs of child at different ages
• Each parent’s ability to share the child’s love and affection with the other parent and
• The ability of each parent to put the child’s needs above his or her own
• History of domestic violence

Other factors are considered as well, and a more complete list can be found at C.R.S. 14-10-124(1.5).  Ultimately, however, these factors are just some of many considerations that guide courts and parents in determining what is in a child’s best interests.

When it comes to determining where the child will spend his or her time, there are many possibilities. While a 5-2-2-5 (day) or 4-3-3-4 (day) split in custody is typical, there are many possibilities depending on the unique needs of the parents and children.