After a divorce, you and your ex-spouse will need to discuss the importance of a child custody order. Without it, your child wouldn’t have a schedule that allows them to see both of their parents – which most courts see as an important factor in a child’s well-being and growth. Discussing a child custody order with your ex-spouse can be difficult – even if your ex is willing to put aside their differences for the benefit of your child.
To better understand how to plan out a child custody arrangement, you’ll likely need to know the various kinds of child custody. Here’s what you should know:
What kind of child custody will you have?
There are four kinds of child custody. The following are the options you may have when working out custody:
- Physical custody: this form of custody determines who has the child living with them the majority of the time.
- Legal custody: this form of custody decides who has the authority to determine a child’s education, religious upbringing, diet and health matters.
- Sole custody: this custody arrangement is made if one parent isn’t considered fit to continue parenting their child.
- Joint custody: parents who can work together may be able to split physical and legal child custody arrangements in a joint custody order.
Ultimately, a child custody order determines how a child is raised and who they’re raised around.
How should you create a custody schedule?
After you work out what custody order you and your ex-spouse will have, you’ll likely need to figure out a schedule so your child has equal time with you and your ex – if you’ve decided on a joint custody agreement. It’s important to have some idea of what your ex’s work and schooling schedule is like, and how your child’s education and extracurricular activities fall on the schedule.
You may need to ask the following questions when planning out a child custody schedule:
- When will you see your child?
- Does the schedule include your work or school hours?
- Who has your child on the holidays?
- How does the schedule alternate between you and your ex?
You’ll likely need to adjust the arrangement in the future as needed. It may be important to you that you know your legal options when planning out a child custody order.