The end of your marriage brought significant changes for every member of your family, including your children. It is no secret that divorce can be incredibly difficult for kids, and parents often make it a goal to ensure that their children experience as little upheaval and distress as possible. One way you can do this is by providing them with a custody and visitation schedule that is reasonable, sustainable and practical.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to divorce, child custody and visitation. As each Mississippi family is different, each visitation schedule will be different, based on the needs of the kids, work schedules of the parents and other individual factors. As you consider your custody plan and how you can seek the best possible terms for you and your kids, you may benefit from learning about all of the options available to you regarding your visitation schedule.
Factors that affect visitation
The primary factor that will affect your visitation schedule is the type of custody order you have. If you and the other parent share joint custody, your visitation schedule should account for relatively equitable parenting time. If one parent retains primary custody, the other will still have some visitation rights. The following may help as you develop a visitation schedule that will benefit your entire family in the immediate aftermath of the divorce and for years to come:
- There is no such thing as a perfect visitation plan, but you must prioritize the needs of the kids.
- You can customize your visitation schedule to meet the unique needs of your family.
- Consider what will provide your children with as much stability and continuity of lifestyle as possible.
- Make it a goal to balance consistency and flexibility when considering a visitation schedule.
- Make sure that your visitation schedule is in writing and court approved in order to avoid problems and potential confusion.
It may be in your interests to first speak to a professional regarding your custody rights. As a parent, the decisions you make during your divorce will impact your kids for years to come. When you make positive choices that focus on a strong future, you will be able to protect your kids from additional duress and confusion during an already complex time of transition and change.
