614-241-2174Parents may believe that having custody of their children for an entire week at a time is an ideal way to allocate parenting time. However, kids in Ohio and elsewhere may not benefit from this arrangement. Instead, it may be better for one parent to have custody for two days before allowing the other parent to have custody for two days. Alternatively, one parent could have custody on weekdays while the other has custody on weekends.
While parents may want to split custody 50/50, this isn’t always practical. The goal is to create a plan that allows a child to have a relationship with each parent regardless of how much time the parent and child spend together. In addition, parents want to be sure that any plan that they come up with is logistically feasible. For instance, parents who work early in the morning shouldn’t be tasked with dropping a child off at school on a regular basis.
Children who are not able to see their parents for several days in a row may develop separation anxiety. This could be true even if they are allowed to call, write or other contact them in other ways. It is also important to consider that allowing a child to call or otherwise contact the other parent during the other’s custody time could cause conflict between the parents themselves.
When determining how to allocate parenting time, it is important for the adults to take the child’s short- and long-term needs into consideration. Ideally, the children will have access to both parents even if the plan is not always convenient. An attorney may be able to help individuals work together to create an effective parenting plan. They may also help individuals petition a judge to request more time with their children.