Parenting Plans Ease Divorce Fears for Parents and Children Alike

One of the biggest fears divorcing parents have is about how their children will be affected, and how their relationship with the kids will change. In fact, many people put off getting divorced even when things are at their worst because they fear the conflict that may arise about the custody and care of the children. There is good news: In most cases, these fears are unfounded.

Yes, many divorcing couples do have some conflict over custody arrangements, residential scheduling and who is responsible for what. Often times, resentment and anger from their own relationship taints the process of trying to develop a plan for the children. A battle of the wills develops, and each parent feels they may lose control over their relationship with their child.

While it may be difficult to get to that point, there is rarely any conflict about what is best for the kids of divorced parents once the arrangements are in place. In the end, most parents agree on the larger issues such as health care, education and even extracurricular activities. Most parents don’t want to deny their children necessary doctor’s visits, or take their children out of school.

Reaching these agreements, however, can be stressful. It’s usually the smaller issues that cause conflict, but that doesn’t make the discussions any less tense. This is where it can pay off to use an experienced mediator, lawyer or other third-party. Luckily, most people don’t go through this process more than once, so it is hard to know what to expect or how to handle it. Professionals who are trained to help parents discuss and negotiate a parenting plan know what to expect and have developed best practices for the process.

On the rare occasion that one parent is worried the other parent may provide substandard care, these concerns can be addressed through the parenting plan as well. Sometimes one parent may be concerned about the other’s use of drugs or alcohol. Experienced mediators and family law specialists have seen this situation before and can help you negotiate your parenting plan with this in mind.

Many parents facing a divorce falsely believe that child custody is an all-or-nothing matter. This doesn’t have to be the case, however. If both parties can work together and agree on a parenting plan and work toward solutions for disagreements that arise, the children can have both parents playing a very active role in their lives.

Divorce lawyers in Toronto range in price and quality. Here at Fine & Associates, all of our family lawyers are trained and knowledgeable in the areas you seek help.