When parents in Arizona decide to get divorced, their children can get understandably upset. Children can be uncomfortable with drastic life changes, especially if these changes mean that they’ll get to spend less time with the people they love the most. One of the better ways to ease children into this transition is for parents to set up a solid parenting schedule that accommodates the children’s needs.
There are several things parents can do when establishing a parenting schedule in order to make things easier for the children. To begin with, parents should take into consideration any special needs the children might have that might impact their everyday lives. Accordingly, parents will be able to plan ahead and make sure the children are as comfortable with the arrangement as anyone could ask of them. Parents might benefit from asking the children what they want and involve them in the process of establishing the schedule, but this only works if the children are old enough to get involved in this tough conversation; otherwise, it is better for the parents to tackle this topic on their own.
On the other hand, there are certain things parents should avoid doing. For example, parents should not prioritize their convenience over what is best for the children. After all, the objective of a parenting schedule is to enable children to have a healthy relationship with each parent rather than let the parents see the children whenever it is convenient for them. Also, parents should give each other plenty of leeway: Just because one parent was responsible for bedtime routines before the divorce doesn’t mean that the other one won’t figure them out with time.
Once parents have a preliminary schedule, they should test it to figure out where the problems are. However, if the parents come to the realization that agreeing on a suitable parenting schedule is near impossible, they might want to let the courts handle this for them. At this point, each parent may stand to benefit from seeking out a divorce lawyer to advise them on the best course of action.